Great Moments in Weed History w/ Abdullah and Bean

What does it mean to talk about Pride when it comes to cannabis? First and foremost it means celebrating the central role that the LGBTQ+ community has played in the global struggle for weed liberation. Pride also has a special meaning for all of us weed enthusiasts who've been stigmatized, criminalized or ostracized for our love of this plant.  Prior to this conversation, I'd never met Laganja Estranja—who made a star turn in 2014 while competing on RuPaul's Drag Race—but I feel like we immediately hit it off and got on the same wavelength in the way weed people often do. So please settle in for the incredible origin story of an overnight weed icon that was actually many years in the making... For more on cannabis and pride, please check out episodes of this podcast about Denis Peron, Brownie Mary and the organization WAMM. PATREON Please ⁠⁠⁠support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon⁠⁠⁠. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Adam Dunn first arrived in Amsterdam as a teenager, and quickly found himself at the center of the city's famed international cannabis scene. In time, Adam would launch his own innovative ventures, including T.H.Seeds, which developed world-famous and award-winning strains including Bubblegum, S.A.G.E., Heavy Duty Fruity, and Chocolate Chunk.  He also started Hempworks, Europe's first dedicated hemp store, with its influential in-house clothing label. Twenty years after first encountering Adam at the Cannabis Cup, where he was fumigating the room with a modified leaf blower full of weed, Bean sits down for an epic sesh with an old friend about the good old days when Amsterdam was the center of the canna-universe. Check out Adam's podcast The Adam Dunn Show. PATREON Please ⁠⁠support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon⁠⁠. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Much how wine, cheese, and other agricultural products are authenticated as coming from their traditional geographic zone of origin, a new program about to launch is California will help old school growers in traditional cultivation communities protect their regional legacies in the world of weed. To explain this exciting new development, we shared a sesh with Genine Coleman, founder and Executive Director of Origins Council, a California nonprofit advocacy, education and research organization dedicated to sustainable economic development for rural cannabis producing regions. Genine has been working directly with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and researchers at Cal Poly Humboldt University to develop and implement a statewide appellation system where local communities can create their own standards and have them recognized nationally and even internationally as legal cannabis sales evolve around the world.  PATREON Please ⁠support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon⁠. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

In 1971, John Lennon performed publicly, for the first time in five years, at a rally decrying the injustice of Michigan police targeting a radical political activist for an elaborate undercover sting operation, resulting in a sentence of ten years in prison for passing two joints. The concert brought massive media attention, and John Sinclair soon after walked out of prison a free man, landing John Lennon on Richard Nixon's official enemies list. For the next three years, the President's "plumbers" harassed the former Beatle and his wife Yoko Ono, while the INS threatened him with deportation over an old hashish bust back in England. Meanwhile the FBI tapped his phones and sent agents to tail his every move. Lennon, Ono, and their legal team fought them every step, and along the way created a new legal precedent in immigration law that still stands as today's DREAM act. Read John Lennon vs. The USA (written by Lennon's immigration attorney Leon Wildes) for more info. Long live Nutopia! PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

As our annual celebration of 4/20 rapidly approaches, please roll up and get ready for the incredible true story of how a small Northern California weed crew created an analog meme that grew into an international high holiday of cannabis liberation. But first, we check in with acclaimed journalist David Downs and Lance Lombard from Grove Bags about "weed week" in San Francisco, particularly the "Get to the Bag" art show, which chronicles the fascinating history and subversive artistry of the mylar bags that became industry-standard cannabis packaging for licensed brands and illicit operators alike starting about fifteen years ago. And speaking of 4/20, if you're in Portland on 4/19 please grab tickets to my live show The History of Weed, happening at Kickstand Comedy theater. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Faced with the rare neurodegenerative condition Friedreich's ataxia, John Cernosek decided to become a patient-advocate and write a book about his healing journey with cannabis. He's currently headed to Las Vegas as an invited guest of the National Ataxia Foundation, where he will present an excerpt from his book at their annual conference. This is a huge step for a conference that has never before addressed the issue. John will also be speaking with the hundreds of patients, caregivers, doctors and researchers who attend the conference and generally spreading awareness via his grassroots advocacy group Cannataxia.  I first met John because he's a GMIWH supporter on Patreon, and signed up to do a secret sesh with me over Zoom. As he heads to the desert to spread the good word about medical cannabis, I'm proud to share our original interview from 2023. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Whether rolling up a six-paper-joint or hiding their hashish by making it into a driveway, the Trailer Park Boys have been growing, smoking, and celebrating the herb on their hit TV series for more than 25 years. So when GMIWH sat down with Robb Wells (who plays Ricky), there were more incredible weed stories to share than Randy eats cheeseburgers. So roll up and settle in for the behind-the-scenes origin story of one of the funniest and most heartfelt shows of all time. And as a bonus, your host shares a few TPB stories too, from the time Bean played "Greasy Stoner #1" in an episode, to getting the boys on the cover of High Times, to going to a wrap party held right in the heart of Sunnyvale Trailer Park—one of the most mythical realms in all of Stonerdome. Grow Your Own: If you want to keep the vibes high, you can acquire some Ricky's Hash Plant seeds from their suppliers at Brothers Grimm Seeds. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian has won a Grammy and played on multi-platinum selling records, all fueled by the creative boost he gets from cannabis. In fact, he loves the plant so much he started his own brand, 22 Red, and serves as his own quality control expert. We talk about his first puff, the weed dealer who changed his life, the adventure and occasional pot-holes of trying to score good herb while touring the world, discovering sativas in Amsterdam, and why he became an outspoken advocate for legalization way back before that was cool. Check out Shavo's new solo band: Seven Hours After Violet Episode edited by Matthias Junker PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

In 1964, in a NYC hotel room, Bob Dylan met the Beatles for the very first time and turned them on to cannabis. Sounds like the stuff of legend and lore, but it really happened, and a rock journalist of the era was on hand to document in detail how the whole sesh went down. For starters, the Beatles made Ringo serve as "royal taster," to see if puffing a joint made him go insane before the others committed to trying it. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

This episode features an outlaw, a fugitive, an inmate, a journalist, a weed dealer, an LSD distributor, a defendant and an accomplished filmmaker. And they're all the same person. I first started reading Seth Ferranti's writing back in the late 90s, when he was the official prison correspondent for VICE magazine, while serving a 21 year sentence, after getting busted for possession of 100,000 doses of acid and then jumping bail and living as a fugitive for two years while on the US Marshals' 15 ‘Most Wanted' list. And that's just the start of Seth's story.... PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 130+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Ramon Reyes started out selling herb on the streets of NYC as a teenager and subsequently climbed through the ranks of the underground, the gray market and the legal industry to now run a licensed dispensary in the same heavily Dominican neighborhood where he grew up. Along with partner Vlad Bautista, Ramon originally co-founded Happy Munkey as a speakeasy style consumption lounge after a trip to Amsterdam convinced him that the truest expression of weed culture is being able to share the plant with friends and strangers. Now the name Happy Munkey hangs above two of New York City's newest dispensaries, where you can find Ramon right back out on the street, only this time it's to literally open the door and serve as ambassador into the world of legal sales.

In 1999, this week's guest starred in one of the most financially successful films of all time, but the circumstances around the making and marketing of Blair Witch Project meant that her incredible accomplishment actually came with a lot of very steep downsides.  A story that's briefly chronicled in her memoir: Growgirl: The Blossoming of an Unlikely Outlaw… by Heather Donahue (now known as Rei Hance). On paper, it certainly sounds like a dream come true. You star in a micro budget movie shot for just $60,000 that becomes a $250 million box office smash. But when her star turn struck gold, Rei was both the face of the franchise and fully hidden from sight. It's a wild story, even by show business standards, but Rei and I talked almost exclusively about weed. Because after she left Hollywood behind, she ended up spending a few years in a place she very lovingly called Nuggettown, a Northern California medical cannabis farm back in the beautiful gray market days of the early 2000s.  Revisiting those days more than twenty years later filled me with a beautiful flush of nostalgia cut with a bit existential longing. It was a wonderful conversation and I'm excited to share it with you as our first great moment in of 2025. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 130+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Celebrate stony seasonal traditions old and new with our GMIWH Holidaze special. In addition to our annual retelling of the story of Santa's origin as a Siberian psychedelic mushroom shaman, we also enjoy Santa's Secret—a song from the 1940 about St. Nick and his 100 foot long reefer, and revive the seasonal tradition of Jay Thomas telling David Letterman all about the time he got too stoned and then had to drive the Lone Ranger home. Thank you to everyone who listened to the podcast this year and especially those who support the show on Patreon. Please share this episode with a friend and subscribe to the podcast for more Great Moments in Weed History in 2025! PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 130+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Back when cannabis was barely legal, an eco-minded off-the-grid ganja farm strived to create a sustainable vision of decentralized, utopian agrarian life that put people and the planet above profits. Return to a moment in the past full of hope and promise that just might point the way to a greener future for everyone who loves the plant and the culture.  PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 130+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

How did a bunch of farmers from Kentucky create the biggest pot growing and smuggling syndicate in American history? We hear that barn burning story straight from Jim Higdon, author of Cornbread Mafia: A Homegrown Syndicate's Code Of Silence And The Biggest Marijuana Bust In American History Music clip in intro: Cornbread Mafia by Sticktight PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 130+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Weed history teaches us to overcome the forces of oppression with the help of our favorite plant ally. In this episode we talk with Dr. Mariana Hoyo, a bright young physician who started out fearing weed because of a bunch of bullshit propaganda, and now has a practice focused on endocannabinology and even teaches classes on the endocannabinoid system at the very same medical school where she once faced shame and stigma for even inquiring about our favorite plant. And who were her first patients in this practice? None other than her own two grandmothers, who both benefited tremendously from this healing herb. And don't that give you some hope... PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 130+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Election season anxiety? Take a break from the horserace and travel back to 1970, when the Gonzo author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas ran for Sheriff in Colorado on a "free weed" platform as part of the newly formed Freak Power party. Plus, experience a great moment in Bean's personal weed history when he describes a visit to the High Minded Humboldt farmstead for some seasonal agricultural work and oh yeah... a 9-course Moon Swoon infused dinner from Spice of Life Supper Club. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 130+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

This episode includes a recently discovered audio tape exposing the War on Marijuana as a total fraud, a state-by-state guide to voting for weed in the 2024 election, an up close look at how Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz legalized cannabis as the governor of Minnesota, and the story of a tireless grassroots activist living off $2 hot dogs at the capitol after getting busted for smoking pot outside a casino, Now, if that all sounds like a lot of strains to keep straight in the old Duder's head, just trust me, they all intersect in the life of Kurtis Hanna, my guest on this weed's program. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

The fate of our favorite plant hangs in the balance as America decides whether to elect a woman committed to legalizing cannabis federally and de-scheduling it out of the Controlled Substances Act, or a guy who openly admires a murderous dictator's approach to the Drug War,,, and by the way didn't lift a finger to stop the 1 million weed arrests that happened during his four years in office. Cry all you want MAGA weed bros, but thems the facts. As you will hear in this interview with Chris Goldstein, a longtime weed activist who's been arrested on federal charges for leading a massive monthly smoke out next to the Liberty Bell, once planted weed on the lawn of the statehouse in New Jersey, and oh yeah, earlier this year, sat down with Vice President Kamala Harris to talk cannabis reform in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.  Please light one up, have a listen, and then make sure you're registered to vote. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

For over fifty years, Michelle and Michael Aldrich have tirelessly advocated for the cannabis plant. A joint life's journey that started when they first met at the first-ever conference hosted by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. How's that for a weed meet cute?  In this episode, we hear directly from this high-namic duo about how and why they've played a leading role in the cannabis liberation movement since 1972, and what they've got planned next. SEE BEAN PERFORM IN SEATTLE ON OCT 5 Get your tickets now to see a sneak preview of "The History of Weed" hosted by Bean as part of the Dope Show at the Halcyon Brewery. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

What have you always wanted to know about the herb but were afraid to ask? Bean scoured the Reddit /trees forum and asked Great Moments in Weed History supporters on Patreon to find out, and then sat down for a sesh, put on his "Uncle Stoner" hat, and dished out some info and advice based on his 20+ years of reporting on our favorite plant. Does weed sometimes make you anxious, or weepy or want to get naked? How can you score some pot safely when traveling? What if you need weed for medicine but your doctor says no way? And how can you best use cannabis to boost your creativity? PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Jerry Garcia and Mountain Girl sat rolling joints and cleaning the stems and seeds from a brick of weed when a fateful knock came at the door of 710 Ashbury Street. Having your communal crash pad raided by the police isn't typically the start of a great moment, but for the Grateful Dead, the October 1967 undercover police sting operation that targeted their home and headquarters turned into a pivotal inflection point in the band's trajectory. One that would change cannabis history and spread weed consciousness around the world.  That's because rather than pleading out or turning informant, they held a press conference right in the same room where they'd been busted, calling out the local police and the national War on Drugs as a racist, hypocritical, counter productive, unconstitutional failure. This episode also examines the huge role the band and their many Deadhead followers played in spreading high quality marijuana and seeds across the country, including classic strains like Sour Diesel and Chemdog. Very special thanks to the legend Harry Shearer (The Simpsons, Spinal Tap) for guesting on this episode, as he actually wrote the 1967 pro-legalization statement the Dead presented at their press conference. Read more first person accounts of this incident in Rock Skully's book Living with the Dead and in Rosie McGee's memoir Dancing with the Dead. Hear the Grateful Dead's October 22, 1967 Marijuana Defense Benefit concert in its entirety at archive.org. Check out Grateful Dead historian Dennis McNally's book A Long Strange Trip. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

College students have always experimented with weed, but there's never been anything like Cal Poly Humboldt's new Cannabis Studies Program. Housed at a state university located in the most famous cannabis cultivation region in the United States, the program is the pipe-dream-turned-brain-child of Dr. Dominic Corva, a professor in the Department of Sociology and a longtime cannabis law reform advocate. For this episode, Bean turned the interview portion of the podcast over to Jada Morrison, a second year student in the program who also served with distinction as the first ever Great Moments in Weed History intern. Jada conceived and produced this episode as part of her final project, for which she earned school credit. Great work Jada! PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Rick Cusick has worn many hats since first getting lit in the 1970s—editor, author, activist, advocate and agitator. He also raised a child solo while serving as the head of High Times magazine and lived to write the tale in his new book "Reefer Dadness." As Rick unfurls his weedy life story to his old friend Bean, this episode features special appearances from two of the biggest names in music—Willie and Bob—and two of the biggest names in weed—Keith and Lester. Listener Note: Definitely a two joint episode. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Since 1990, Housing Works has been actively supporting NYC's unhoused population and people with HIV/AIDS through advocacy, mutual support and entrepreneurship. Two years ago, the once radical organization was awarded the city's first recreational cannabis license, and quickly opened a beautiful, inclusive, welcoming dispensary in lower Manhattan that serves the community while giving back to those in need. On this weed's episode, we get the inside story on all that from Sasha Nutgent, Housing Works' Director of Retail Cannabis. While Bean, our host, recalls his own "great moment" of buying legal weed just blocks from where he was arrested for smoking a joint. ALSO: HAPPY 7/10 TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE Check out our 7/10 Holiday Episodes from Years Past: Celebrate Hash's High Holiday w/ Roger from Puffco Psychedelic Surfers Invented Dabs Celebrating Hash High Holiday w/ an IRL Sesh PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Tim Blake has proliferated the cannabis plant since the early 1970s.  About twenty years ago, he left the outlaw life behind to put himself on the frontlines of the fight for legalization. Along the way, he founded the Emerald Cup, the world's most prestigious cannabis competition. This August the Emerald Cup will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a two day event in Oakland. In advance of that auspicious occasion, Tim took us on a wild ride through his life in weed. Listener note: This is a "two joint episode," if you're trying to toke along at home. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

This story is pretty wild, extremely weedy, and most people have never heard of it before—including our guest, the esteemed weed journalist Mary Jane Gibson. So we're not about to give away any spoilers in the show notes. Just light one, get lit, and listen up! PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

After discovering the healing power of weed while serving in Vietnam, Dennis Peron smuggled two pounds of high-grade herb home. From there he became a charismatic and defiant leader of San Francisco's medical weed and gay rights movements. A fiery street-fighting optimist, he suffered multiple stints in prison—and even took a bullet in a police raid—all without ever giving up or backing down. The movement he helped lead and inspire liberated the world. If you don't know his story, then you don't know weed history. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

From starring in the first-ever movie about hip-hop and graffiti, to hosting Yo! MTV Raps, Fab 5 Freddy has been a weed aficionado at the forefront of underground culture for more than four decades. He's also the filmmaker behind the groundbreaking Netflix documentary "Grass is Greener," and the founder of the cause-based B. Noble cannabis brand. Tracing the history of weed from the jazz era to the modern day, F5F recalls a journey that took him from throwing in on nickel bags to working directly with one of the world's largest legal cannabis brands. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

Breeder Steve started growing weed in Canada in the 1980s, and went on to create some of the most popular strains of the last thirty years. So he's the perfect person to explain the process of crossing two different types of cannabis to produce a distinct hybrid. Much of Steve's work took place in the outlaw era of Canadian cannabis, as part of a thriving grey market of seed merchants selling through the mail. His Spice of Life seed company was among the finest, and his high-level breeding work continues today. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History , and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

On April 19, 1943 Swiss chemist Dr. Albert Hoffman took the world's first LSD trip, which included a rather harrowing bicycle ride home from his lab that day. For the next sixty years, Hoffman would be fascinated by his famous "problem child," a powerful molecule that changed the course of history.  Comedian Shane Mauss ("A Better Trip") tells us the story of Bicycle Day, which is now celebrated around the world.  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History , and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

As we gaze upon the Cosmos, let's remember Carl Sagan, the famed astronomer who attributed his most powerful epiphanies to the creative influence of cannabis. And his best bud Dr. Lester Grinspoon, who set out to make the definitive scientific case against weed and ended up becoming one of the plant's greatest champions. Their friendship truly changed the course of weed history, with some incredible stories along the way. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History , and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

What's the most psychedelic experience you can have on Earth without ingesting so much as a microdose? A solar eclipse, no question—but you've got to be in the path of totality.  Our guest on this episode, astronomer Nour Skaf, from the Black Rock Observatory, explains what exactly happens during an eclipse, and why it's such a profoundly trippy phenomenon.  Nour will be presenting a talk at the upcoming Texas Eclipse Festival outside Austin, Texas on April 5th-9th. Bean will be there too, reporting for DoubleBlind magazine. If you have the time and resources, please don't miss a chance to see an eclipse. It is truly life-changing. PATH OF TOTALITY Check out this map to track the path of totality, and find the closest location for you to experience the eclipse.  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History , and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

From the depths of the ocean, a mythical weed-loving monster arises to wreak havoc on the authorities who attempt to eradicate her favorite plant. Would you believe this no-budget 1980s monster movie is based on a true story? With special guest Jon Gabrus, we explore how a locally-produced film called Ganjasaurus Rex actually tells the history of outlaw weed growers in Humboldt County via a kaiju about a Godzilla-like creature that swats down police helicopters. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History , and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

The internet has burning questions about getting lit. So GMIWH took a week off from getting high on history to jump into the r/trees subreddit and drop some knowledge on those seeking advice. As you might imagine, the questions range from the serious, to the silly, to the strange. Think of this one as "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Weed (But Were Afraid to Ask)." EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

Let's head back to 2700 BC to meet an ancient Chinese hemp goddess who lived on a mountaintop full of cannabis plants where she brewed the elixir of life. And doesn't that sound nice? Our guides for this trip are Christina Wong and Wendy Zeng, two chefs, culinary cannabis creators, and the co-hosts of Mogu Magu, a culture, food, and cannabis collective exploring the Asian immigrant experience. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History , and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

Cody Bass is a second generation outlaw who fought the law and lost, but never lost faith in cannabis. Today he's a successful weed business owner, and the mayor of Lake Tahoe, California—the very jurisdiction where the authorities once literally tried to run him out of town.  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History , and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

Mila Jansen first scored hash down on the docks in 1964, smuggled into Amsterdam by sailors from exotic ports of call. She soon after opened an early forerunner of that city's legendary cannabis coffeeshops, before spending many years living in India, Afghanistan, and other traditional hashish producing regions.  And then, upon returning home, she absolutely changed the game as one of Amsterdam's top cannabis growers and the inventor of an era-defining device for modern hash makers called the Pollinator. Best of all, she's still getting high, and setting trends today. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History , and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

We turned a crystal ball into a bong. Then we invited Leafly Senior Editor David Downs to smoke the strain of the year out of it and make predications for the future of cannabis.  After reviewing the highs (and lows) of a tumultuous year, we see a bright, green future for the plant, the culture, and the industry in 2024 (and beyond). So please get lit and join us, as we go Bake to the Future. STRAIN OF THE YEAR Each year, based on extensive smoking and hard data, Leafly selects the strain of the year. Check out 2023's winner. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 90+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

Explore St. Nick's psychedelic shamanic roots in Siberia in the only Christmas Special where Santa gifts you magic mushrooms and even the reindeer get high AF! So hang on to your sleigh bells, because it's time for Abdullah and Bean's annual re-telling of this classic story as we celebrate the holiday season with Amanita muscaria mushrooms, weed-infused cookies, extra oil to dab for Chanukah and plenty of fermented yak milk. Special thanks to Harvard professor Donald Pfister for his enlightening annual lecture on Psychedelic Santa!  Check out Doubleblind magazine and MAPS for more information on psychedelics. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History , and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

In an age of corporate cannabis, who keeps authentic weed culture alive? In a time of abundant strains and concentrates, whose tastes define hashish connoisseurship.  Wooks, that's who! Named for the Wookies in the Star Wars universe—Chewbacca being the most well known example —and found primarily hanging around outside concerts and festivals, wooks are noble, gentle creatures dedicated to living in the moment, getting lit and following their bliss. So we seshed with real-life cannabis couple (and self-described wooks) Cass Greener and Sean Dunne—the filmmaking team behind the new documentary film Wooks—about the central role that wookies have played in shaping and spreading cannabis culture throughout the live music scene. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 100+ episodes of  Great Moments in Weed History , and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

Todd McCormick's weed journey began when his mother handed him a lit joint on the way home from chemotherapy. As a surviver of pediatric cancer, he later advocated for the plant's legalization alongside legends of the cannabis movement like Jack Herer, Brownie Mary, Dennis Peron and Dr. Lester Grinspoon. Todd also forged lasting friendships with weed icons like Tommy Chong, Woody Harrelson, Bill Maher and Hugh Hefner. We get into all that and much more in this incredible interview. ALSO: Check out Todd's book How to Grow Medical Marijuana and his two documentary films, The Union: The Business Behind Getting High and The Culture High EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 90+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

Emerging in the conformist 1950s, the Beat subculture pushed back against corporatism and consumerism in favor of a contemplatively nonconformist lifestyle focused on art, poetry, jazz and “kicks.” The small circle of young writers at the core of this lit-erary movement—Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs and Neal Cassady—were all heavily influenced by the improvisation, illumination. and imagination they found in cannabis.  Among their most acclaimed and lasting works are Kerouac's generation-defining novel On the Road and Ginsberg's epic poem Howl. On this episode, Martin Torloff—author of Bop Apocalypse: Jazz, Race, the Beats and Drugs—explains just how central cannabis was as a creative tool for the Beats as they sought to bust through the conventions of both literature and society. And how along the way, they founded LeMar, America's first cannabis legalization organization. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 90+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

In 1983, an outlaw weed grower pseudonymously published Indoor Marijuana Horticulture, a truly game changing book that sparked a global movement.  In the forty years since, "Jorge Cervantes" has traveled the world writing articles, shooting videos, meeting with growers, sampling harvests, and generously sharing his weed wisdom. In this episode, Jorge recalls his incredible life story, from seed to flower. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 90+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

Cannabis activist Ellen Komp has been on the frontlines of the fight to end weed arrests and provide safe access to this incredible medicinal plant for decades. Including as an editor of Jack Herer's groundbreaking book about hemp—The Emperor Wears No Clothes, as the deputy director of California NORML and as author of Tokin' Women: A 4,000 Year Herstory. In a special live episode taped at this year's Meadowlands conference, Ellen shares the modern history of weed as seen through her own eyes. LEGALIZATION NATION Check out the Kickstarter for Box Brown's comic journalism book about the dirty deeds of corporate weed. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 90+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

When a bunch of lawyers and shadowy political operators pushed a ballot initiative in Humboldt County, California that could destroy the legal weed industry in America's most legendary cannabis cultivation region, comedian Billy Wayne Davis—our guest this week—said "hell no." On October 1st, Great Moments in Weed History will join Billy Wayne plus Mike Glazer from Weed + Grub, Frank Castillo from Peak'd and Henry Zebrowski from Last Podcast on the Left for a benefit show at the Mateel Center in Southern Humboldt to help vote down this eradication initiative known as Measure A. In addition to traveling all over the country to make people laugh, Billy Wayne is also the host of the excellent podcast Grown Local on which he interviews all sorts of weed people—with a particular focus on small-scale craft growers. In this episode, we dig into a few of Billy Wayne's personal greatest weed moments, from his cannabis origin story to a life-lesson he got firsthand from stand-up legend Ralphie May. STOP MEASURE A IN HUMBOLDT Check out this website for more information on how Measure A would devastate craft farmers in Humboldt County and how you can help through grassroots political action or sending a donation. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 90+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

Whether portraying Bong Boy as part of the Upright Citizens Brigade or taping his solo stand-up special at a weed lounge, comedian Matt Besser never shies away from embracing cannabis culture. In an appropriately stoned interview, Matt shares some personal great moments from his own weed history, explores how cannabis enhances the creative process, and explains why he never goes on stage stoned—unless it's 4/20. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 90+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

Cannabis has profound therapeutic properties, providing healing relief from ailments ranging from chronic pain and insomnia to cancer, seizure disorders, MS, ALS and digestive disorders. But how can you get the most out of this safe, versatile plant medicine? And why is your doctor so in the dark about weed?  As a young hippie physician with hair well past his shoulders, Dr. Jeffrey Hergenrather witnessed firsthand the plant's incredible potential for treating a wide variety of conditions during the seven years he served as in-house physician at the Farm, a legendary counterculture commune in rural Tennessee. Ever since, he's been a tireless advocate for safe access to our favorite life saving plant. Including as a founding member and one-time president of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians—the oldest organization of physicians specializing in the use of cannabis as medicine.  While hearing the good doctor's long history with cannabis, we also discuss how to talk to your doctor about medical cannabis, how to convince Grandma to give it a try, and how exactly a single plant can be efficacious for so many different ailments.  EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 90+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

The weed legalization movement has always embraced street theater, a tactic Adam Eidinger certainly put to good use the time he led a giveaway of 10,000 joints during a presidential inauguration. He also lead the charge to end cannabis prohibition in Washington DC and then followed up with an initiative that legalized psychedelic plants, including mushrooms, ayahuasca, and mescaline. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 90+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

The War on Weed first started crumbling because of courageous cannabis patients like John, a super chill, funny and cool person to share some herb with who helps spread the word about the plant's miraculous medicinal properties among those who—like himself—have Friedreich's ataxia. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Friedreich's ataxia is a genetic, progressive, neurodegenerative movement disorder affecting 1 in every 50,000 people. John explains how cannabis helps him treat and manage the condition, and also takes us through the truly great moment when he first spoke out (loud and proud) in public to let both the FDA and his fellow FA patients know about his own positive experiences with weed.  An act that touched the lives of many other people who have since found therapeutic relief in cannabis! EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 90+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible 

Our annual celebration of cannabis concentrates explores the global phenomenon of contemporary hash with one of the leading innovators in the scene.  Puffco founder and CEO Roger Volodarsky is truly and fully a hash-head and his commitment to spreading hashish culture is both longstanding and profound. The innovations that Puffco has introduced over the last ten years have elevated the modern hash experience in ways that truly have changed the game. All of it fueled by his personal passion for this plant, its resins and the culture. 7/10 GMIWH ARCHIVES If you want to know more about the earliest spiritual uses of hashish, dating back literally thousands of years, check out our recent episode titled “Cannabis in the Ancient World” To trace the spread of traditional hashish along the old Spice Routes and Silk Roads of yore, scroll back just a few episodes further, and tune in to “Weed History in the Middle East” For the incredible story of the birth of contemporary hash, check out our 7/10 special from last year, it's called “Meet the Psychedelic Surfers Who Invented Dabs” about the legendary Brotherhood of Eternal Love and how they created the earliest known BHO. Or go back another year, to our first-annual 7/10 special, “Celebrating Hash's High Holiday with an IRL sesh…” You'll hear me get a crash course in cutting-edge cannabis concentrates on that one, so if you're still a bit mystified by all the talk about oils, waxes, shatters, crumbles, resins, and rosins, I'm right there with you, and, spoiler alert, it's by far the highest I've ever gotten on this show. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 90+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible