Great Moments in Weed History

The legalization debate reached the US Senate this week, prompting us to recall the time Tucker Carlson had to say the words "Great Moments in Weed History." Immediately followed by the biggest name on Fox News lamely spewing Reefer Madness nonsense while getting trounced in an on-air confrontation with our co-host. More seriously, in this episode we share an optimistic update on progress towards federal legalization, following testimony before Congress from two people with deep connections to this podcast. BEAN VS. TUCKER CARLSON We share excerpts from their debate in the episode. Here's where you can watch the whole thing, or you can read the Leafly article debunking Alex Berenson's book. GREAT MOMENTS IN WEED HISTORY - LIVE IN PORTLAND ON SEPT 10 Abdullah and Bean will be appearing live at the Helium Comedy Club in Portland, Oregon on September 10th for a live taping of an all-new episode of Great Moments in Weed History. Please grab tickets now, and tell all your friends who live in Oregon to come get high on history with us! PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

In 1976, a pair of Vietnam vets turned international weed smugglers loaded a twin-engine airplane with 6,000 pounds of primo sinsemilla bud known as Mota Magic. Unfortunately, the ill-fated smuggling run ended in disaster when the planeload of weed crashed into a remote frozen lake tucked away in Yosemite's rugged backcountry. But from that tragedy arose the greatest "gold rush" in cannabis history, as some of the world's top rock climbers, the DEA, forest rangers, and itinerant hippies all raced to pull as many bales of Mota Magic from the frozen lake as possible. This episode was recorded live in Humboldt County, California as part of the Savage Henry Comedy Festival. Special thanks to everyone at Savage Henry, an incredible independent humor magazine and comedy club operating in the heart of America's most famous cannabis cultivation region. GREAT MOMENTS IN WEED HISTORY - LIVE IN PORTLAND ON SEPT 10 Abdullah and Bean will be appearing live at the Helium Comedy Club in Portland, Oregon on September 10th for a live taping of an all-new episode of Great Moments in Weed History. Please grab tickets now, and tell all your friends who live in Oregon to come get high on history with us! PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

When police in black helicopters started descending on Humboldt County, CA to bring 'death from above' to illicit cannabis grows, the locals banded together and fought back. As a co-founder of both the Citizens Observation Group and community-supported KMUD radio, Agnes Patak spent decades monitoring the cops and broadcasting real-time warnings about their raiding parties. She tells us how CAMP (Campaign Against Marijuana Planting) made life a living hell for Mom & Pop growers, and why she's so proud to see her community continue to honor the plant, the environment, and our collective struggle for peace and justice. EPISODE SPONSOR: PODTONES This episode of Great Moments in Weed History is brought to you by Podtones—the first 100% pure cannabis rosin vaporizer. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 70+ episodes of our classic 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 shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Take a break from the world's troubles and get blazed with comedian Jon Gabrus upon the premiere of his new TruTV show 101 Places to Party Before You Die. Along with co-host Adam Pally, Gabrus travels the country to live it up, including getting lit early and often—as one would expect from the host of the stellar High & Mighty podcast. We talk about how becoming a stoner changed his approach to comedy, and his favorite weed scene from a movie. Then we make plans to assemble a cannabis heist crew to take on an overclocked Volcano vaporizer. EPISODE SPONSOR: PODTONES This episode of Great Moments in Weed History is brought to you by Podtones—the first 100% pure cannabis rosin vaporizer. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 70+ episodes of our classic 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 shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

To honor the high hashish holiday, we're celebrating the surfing, smuggling, LSD evangelists known as the Brotherhood of Eternal Love. That commune's international cannabis concentrate smuggling ring got them dubbed "the hippie mafia" and involved some of the most fascinating characters in the history of cannabis true crime. Including the largely unknown story of Ronald Hadley Stark, who has been pegged by various people at various times as an undercover CIA asset sent to subvert the counterculture, a rogue KGB operative sent to foment a new American revolution, a ruthless career criminal disguised as a peace-and-love flower child, and a cunning snitch who transformed the Brotherhood of Eternal Love from idealistic hippies into big-time drug smugglers. For more on the BOEL, check out these books (The Brotherhood of Eternal Love, and Orange Sunshine) and documentaries (Orange Sunshine and The Sunshine Makers). EPISODE SPONSOR: LIFTED MADE Cannabis is meant to be shared, and our newest sponsor Lifted Made has found one of the most accessible ways to do it... with hemp-derived novel cannabinoids like Delta-8 THC, Delta-9, Delta-10, THC-O, HHC, CBN, CBG and more. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 70+ episodes of our classic 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 shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

In this special episode, we answer your burning questions about cannabis—from "How do I get my Mom high?" to "What will the world of weed look like in ten years?" Very special thanks to our backers on Patreon, who supplied the questions, and whose generous support makes this podcast possible. Please enjoy this slightly off-the-wall take on Abdullah and Bean as your personal "weed life coaches," and then join us again next Weednesday for another classic GMIWH history story. EPISODE SPONSOR: LIFTED MADE Cannabis is meant to be shared, and our newest sponsor Lifted Made has found one of the most accessible ways to do it... with hemp-derived novel cannabinoids like Delta-8 THC, Delta-9, Delta-10, THC-O, HHC, CBN, CBG and more. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 70+ episodes of our classic 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 shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

In 1996, Sweet Leaf Collective began bicycle-delivering donated cannabis to terminally-ill AIDS patients. By "running tight game," Sweetleaf's founder flew under the radar for decades while simultaneously expanding the operation to provide millions of dollars in free weed annually. Abdullah and Bean share a sesh with "Sweet Leaf Joe" to hear his inspirational story firsthand, including tales of the countless people and communities he's been able to support along the way. EPISODE SPONSOR: LIFTED MADE Cannabis is meant to be shared, and our newest sponsor Lifted Made has found one of the most accessible ways to do it... with hemp-derived novel cannabinoids like Delta-8 THC, Delta-9, Delta-10, THC-O, HHC, CBN, CBG and more. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 70+ episodes of our classic 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 shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Sour Diesel first surfaced at a downtown hippie rock club, and ascended into being the premier smoke among New York City's celebrity set and lit-erati. Talk about making it big in the Baked Apple! Sourcing, buying, selling and eventually growing this game-changing strain was an obsession for a young weed scenester named AJ (a.k.a "Asshole Joe"), whose fortunes rose and fell as part of Gotham's rough-and-tumble underground cannabis scene. For decades, AJ kept his hustle a secret from even his closest friends, but now he's ready to tell all. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 60+ episodes of our classic 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 shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Weed-infused edibles date back more than a thousand years, but did you ever wonder how the humble "pot brownie" become a cultural icon? It's a wilder and more fascinating story than you probably imagine, one that starts in Egypt in 1799 and ends with the publication of the most controversial cookbook of all time (except for maybe How to Serve Man) And at the center of it all is an iconic lesbian power couple who claimed they got duped ("doped?") into educating most of the world on how to get high off dessert. So get ready for an incredible intercontinental and cross-cultural tale of culinary adventure that involves Moroccan hashish makers, an avant-garde artist, a literary scandal, an elaborate weed prank and a high-larious Peter Sellers movie. Check out the original Alice B. Toklas Cookbook! Watch the movie I Love You Alice B. Toklas. Learn more about this incredible couple with the book Two Lives: Gertrude and Alice. Then check out clips from Laverne and Shirley, Taxi, Frazier, That 70s Show, Desperate Housewives, Mr. Show and other very special TV episodes that celebrate the weed brownie. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 60+ episodes of our classic 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 shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Whether living in legal states or under prohibition, weed smokers continue to face stigmas and prejudices of all kinds. So to kick off our official Pride Month programming, we're revisiting our 2021 interview with true friend-of-the-podcast Jessamyn Stanley—a self-described “fat black queer woman" who's been breaking down barriers in American yoga since she began posting about her personal practice on Instagram in 2012. Jessamyn's the author of Every Body Yoga, and Yoke: My Yoga of Self Acceptance, hosts the podcast Dear Jessamyn, and has created the yoga app The Underbelly. She also co-founded the activist organization We Go High North Carolina to push for an end to cannabis arrests and a social justice based approach to legalization. And she's a Great Moments in Weed History listener, who says her own cannabis activism was in part inspired by our episodes about Dennis Peron and Brownie Mary, two indomitable activists who fought for medical cannabis during the height of the AIDs crisis. Check out our podcast feed for those episodes! EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 60+ episodes of our classic 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 shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

What was it like to be the in-house weed cookie dealer at Upright Citizens Brigade in NYC during the legendary improv theater's glory days? Our guest John Flynn tells all in his new memoir Baked!—and we give him credit for providing creative inspiration to a cultural institution that launched the careers of many of today's top comedic talents. Founded in 2004 by Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, Matt Walsh, Adam McKay, Rick Roman, Horatio Sanz and Drew Franklin, the theater and school helped launch the careers of Paul Scheer, ,Kate McKinnon, Jon Gabrus, Aubrey Plaza, Rob Corddry, Rob Riggle, , Ed Helms, Aubrey Plaza, Zach Woods, Nicole Byer, Bobby Moynihan, Andrew Daly, Jason Mantzoukas, Nick Kroll, Donald Glover, Ben Schwartz, Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson (Broad City), Chris Gerhard and many, many others. From baking his first batch of THC-infused treats to help fund his musical tribute to the movie Showgirls, to a run-in with FedEx that became the moment his weed cookie empire crumbled, John shares the highs (and occasional lows) of a very sweet ride. SPONSORED BY EMJAY DELIVERY If you'd like to try California's best cannabis yourself, without leaving home, head over to Emjay Delivery and remember to use promo code GREATMOMENTS (all one word) for 10% off your first order, 15% off your second order, and 20% off your third order. Abdullah and Bean both highly recommend this excellent service with incredible cannabis and unbeatable prices. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 60+ episodes of our classic 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 Emerald Cup began in 2003 as an underground locals-only harvest celebration among outdoor organic cannabis growers in Northern California’s famed Emerald Triangle. They kept the first-ever contest a secret from the sheriff by pretending it was a birthday party. Today, the Emerald Cup is the world's most prestigious cannabis competition, drawing 30,000+ pot-lovers to a "state fair for weed" complete with its own awards show. And this year Abdullah and Bean both participated in the judging process! So roll one up and settle in for an incredible ride. Along the way you'll learn how to judge cannabis for yourself (without becoming judgmental),, discover some of the best flower, concentrates, edibles, topicals, tinctures and weed drinks on the market, and get inspired to host your own weed cup at home! Episode also includes a special appearance from Woody Harrelson, some serious terp-talk thanks to SC Labs, and a big shout out to Emerald Cup impresarios Tim and Taylor Blake. SPONSORED BY EMJAY DELIVERY If you'd like to try California's best cannabis yourself, without leaving home, head over to Emjay Delivery and remember to use promo code GREATMOMENTS (all one word) for 10% off your first order, 15% off your second order, and 20% off your third order. Abdullah and Bean both highly recommend this excellent service with incredible cannabis and unbeatable prices. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 60+ episodes of our classic 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.

Social equity programs designed to remediate the damage done by the War on Marijuana have all-too-often had the opposite effect. To find out why, Abdullah and Bean share a sesh with top-drawer cannabis journalist Amanda Chicago Lewis and discuss her new article in the New Republic: "Legalized Pot Was Supposed to Help Build Black Wealth in Los Angeles. It Failed." From shady politicians to venture capital d-bags, she explains what's gone wrong, and how those lessons can be applied to legalization laws in the rest of the country—and around the world. We also discuss how Amanda's 2014 Rolling Stone article about the Pamela Anderson / Tommy Lee sex tape was adopted into the Hulu series Pam & Tommy. Also mentioned in the episode, her 2017 GQ article that blew the whistle on a secret plan to patent cannabis. For more on that subject, check out Bean's subsequent investigative series for Leafly. And for more on social equity in Los Angeles, check out Abdullah's reporting for public radio station KCRW. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 60+ episodes of our classic 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.

Hop in our hot box time machine set for 1991 Grateful Dead tour, where a "kind bud snob" named Greg first encountered the incredible weed varietal he named "Chemdog." A moniker that Greg then took on himself while spending the next 20 years cultivating and circulating this foundational gas strain.. Chemdog (the man and the strain) in many ways paved the way for modern cannabis, but that road definitely had its rough patches. Hear this incredible story straight from the legend himself, as he tells Abdullah and Bean about being a tour legend, "helping out" Phish and the New York Giants, getting busted, and coming out on the other side as a legal master cultivator. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our Great Moments in Weed History podcast feed for 60+ episodes of our classic 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.

Celebrate today's high holiday with the story of Jack Herer—the man, the myth, and the strain that changed the weed game forever. This is the legendary tale of how a cannabis-hating rightwing military police officer had his life transformed forever the first time he got high (really, really high) off some Acapulco Gold and became the leading voice of the weed resistance. From writing his classic cannabis conspiracy book The Emperor Wears No Clothes, to rediscovering a US government propaganda film called Hemp for Victory, to traveling the country tirelessly with his band of cannabis evangelists, this one-man movement inspired an entire generation of activists and agitators and helped usher in the beginning of the end of the War on Weed. If you only know Jack Herer the incredible strain of cannabis, well, then, you don't know Jack. But you will after experiencing this special live episode, recorded at the Green Street building in Los Angeles. Very special thanks to our sponsors for this episode, High 90s, Podtones, Big Pete's Treats and Heavy Hitters. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 60+ 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.

Abdullah and Bean get high non-stop in this very special episode, fueled by the huge stash of cannabis and edibles they've been tasked with judging as part of the prestigious Emerald Cup competition. Along the way, we talk about the history of this podcast, our big plans for 4/20, our favorite past episodes of the show and, of course, what it's like to judge a prestigious weed contest. It's also a Weed-a-Thon because this episode is our first-annual crowdsource fundraiser encouraging avid listeners to support Great Moments in Weed History on Patreon. All of our Patreon supporters get access to special video versions of the podcast, plus bonuses and special rewards. Special thanks to all the brands mentioned in this episode, including Tweedle Farms (use the promo code "greatmoments" for 20% off), Podtones, High90s, Dee Thai Tropical Gummies,. Rose Delights Deep Sleep Gummies, Potli, Space Gems and Oasis, EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 60+ 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.

Social media deletes, throttles and shadow-bans weed related accounts regularly, often without warning and with clear bias against independent creators. When YouTube erased Arend Richard's account "The Gay Stoner" with nearly 200K subscribers, he did get mad, but he also got even by bringing together a group of prominent "weed tubers" to form their own independent platform. Abdullah and Bean talk with Arend about the highs and lows of fighting the system. While exploring the suppression of cannabis education and entertainment as a free speech issue that's all-too-often ignored in the raging debate about cancel culture. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 60+ 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 is a sacred plant in Shinto and Sumo wrestling—two of Japan's oldest and most vital traditions. And hemp was once the island nation's second biggest crop, after rice. Marijuana prohibition arrived via the American military occupation that followed World War II, Ironically, it's now the success of legalization activists in the United States that's inspiring a movement of homegrown advocates to return cannabis to its rightfully exalted place in Japanese culture. In this episode, Abdullah and Bean talk with Naoko Miki, co-founder of Green Zone Japan, a leading organization pushing for the rights of medical cannabis patients. CHANGE.ORG PETITION This is the change.org petition referenced in the episode, regarding the case of Ryujiro Oyabu, a celebrated ceramic artist who is currently challenging Japan's federal ban on cannabis. Please sign and share with your friends. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 50+ 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.

From Afghanistan's Kush Mountains, to LA's early 90s hydro grows, the story of game-changing weed strain OG Kush is one of the greatest cannabis tales ever told—with cameo appearances from Cypress Hill, Xzibit, Snoop Dogg, and Dre Dre. But this fascinating history was completely hidden until very recently, when the original growers who put the OG in OG Kush finally came forward to claim their glory. So roll up a fat joint of this skunky, lemony, piney legend (or whatever you've got to smoke), and settle in for a sesh with Abdullah and Bean as they give you the inside dope on the ultimate high-status strain. HIGH 90S This episode of Great Moments in Weed History is sponsored by High 90s. Their Nineties OG Kush is a cross of San Fernando Valley Hindu Kush x Chemdawg that’s got all the incredible flavor, potency and soaring high that made OG Kush one of the all-time game changing cannabis strains. . High 90's is also launching two new OG strains this month! White Fire OG, a collaboration with OG Raskal and Mamba OG in stores across Southern California. And don’t sleep on their other strains! EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 50+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday, including these special Moment in Weed episodes. 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.

A new report confirms the cannabis industry added over 100,000 new jobs last year —a 33% increase—so there's never been a better time to start your legal weed career. But whether you're a hardcore trapper looking to come in from the cold, a supply-chain specialist hoping to ditch your boring widget gig for a cool weed one, or a young person seeking something entry level, gaining entree into your first green job can be daunting. Enter Abdullah and Bean, who offer solid advice for finding and landing your dream job based on their decades of experience in and around the industry. Plus, our usual dose of silly nonsense and serious weed puns. Here's the 2022 Leafly Jobs Report referenced throughout the episode. Visit our podcast feed for 50+ episodes of our classic Great Moments in Weed History format, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday, including these special Moment in Weed episodes. 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.

Whenever cannabis and capitalism collide, legacy weed farmers find themselves caught in the crossfire—trapped between hyper-capitalized mega-grows with corporate lobbyists and the corrupt government bureaucrats who do their bidding. In a just-published article for Rolling Stone, ace cannabis reporter and longtime friend of the podcast Mary Jane Gibson details how a shady backroom deal pulled the nug out from under California's old-school weed growers. As a result, a confluence of extinction-level-events now threatens to bring down the state's entire legal weed system via an impending market crash. But fret not—the Hempire has only begun to strike back. Mary Jane Gibson joins us for this episode of Moment in Weed, which includes a ceremonial smoke sesh. Here's a link to Mary Jane's original article in Rolling Stone. Find Mary Jane on Instagram here. And connect with Weed + Grub, her podcast with brilliantly blazed stand up comedian Mike Glazer. 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 or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Within the Church of Entheogenic Plants, a dozen varieties of psilocybin (aka "magic") mushrooms await those who wish to incorporate use of psychedelic fungus into their religious and spiritual practices. Two years ago, the church was raided by local police, but they re-opened the next day and still plan to sue in federal court to affirm their religious liberty. So take a trip (yes, pun intended) with Abdullah and Bean to this incredible oasis in Oakland, California to see for yourself, while also learning about the long history of mushrooms and other psychedelics for spiritual and ceremonial use. The Church of Entheogenic Plants is also known as ZIDE DOOR. The organization Decriminalize Nature has been at the forefront of successful efforts to decriminalize magic mushrooms and other psychedelics. Double Blind magazine has information and resources about psychedelic culture, cultivation and best practices. MAPS is a leading organization advocating for legal access to psychedelics for medicinal use. 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 or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

When Heisman Trophy-winning tailback Ricky Williams famously chose natural grass over professional football back in 2004,, the NFL, sportswriters and many fans reacted with horror and anger. How dare one of the greatest football players in history walk away from the game that made him rich and famous? With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend, Abdullah and Bean decided to ask the man himself, and found out that from his first time getting high, to starting his own cannabis company (appropriately called Highsman), to studying Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, Ricky Williams has always blazed his own path in life. He also led the way for a generation of athletes who successfully pushed back against professional football's hypocritical and draconian ban on cannabis, leading to a new era where the NFL has now stopped drug testing players for weed, and has just donated $1 million to study how the plant's medicinal properties could actually help players deal with pain management and provide neuroprotection from concussion. 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 or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

From his incendiary album "Legalize It" to his defiant speech denouncing Jamaican officials to their faces for their downpressive laws against ganja (delivered while smoking a spliff on stage), Peter Tosh fought for the equal rights of cannabis people around the world. While also promoting the plant's myriad of therapeutic benefits in detailed ways decades before the medical establishment started to catch up. Along the way, he created some of the most seminal and iconic reggae music of all time, working solo and as part of The Wailers alongside Bob Marley and Bunny Livingston. We're honored to have Niambe McIntosh—Peter Tosh's daughter and founder of The Peter Tosh Foundation—as our guest to discuss her father's life and work. 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 or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

In 2004, Weldon Angelos was sentenced to 55 years in prison for selling $900 worth of weed. That's what you get for bringing some of the earliest hip-hop shows to Salt Lake City, Utah. A music producer who has worked with legends like Snoop Dogg, Tupac's Outlawz, Nas, and Pink,, Weldon's case became a symbol of the racism and injustice that plagues our criminal justice system. But as you'll hear in this interview, from the moment he arrived at a maximum security prison—to serve a virtual life sentence—he began advocating for himself and other non-violent cannabis prisoners. Now head of The Weldon Project, he's built a truly bi-partisan coalition—Cory Booker, Rand Paul, Charles Koch, Alicia Keys—that pushed President Barrack Obama to commute his sentence in 2016, followed by a full pardon from President Donald Trump in December 2020. In September, Weldon sent the Biden administration a letter signed by more than 150 celebrities (Drake, Killer Mike, 2 Chainz, Ty Dolla $ign, T.I.), athletes, politicians, law enforcement professionals and academics calling on the President to issue a “full, complete and unconditional pardon” to all people with non-violent federal marijuana convictions. For more on what the current administration is—and isn't—doing about cannabis, check out our recent interview with Representative Earl Blumenauer, one of the leading marijuana legalization voices in congress, in an episode titled "Is Biden Gonna Legalize or What?" PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Celebrate 2021's weediest highlights with Abdullah and Bean's inebriated recounting of the year's most impactful cannabis news stories. PLUS: Our annual re-telling of the classic Chrstmas tale "Santa Claus is a Siberian Mushroom Shaman." Recorded IRL in a "holiday hashish hot box," this episode also gave rise to a conspiracy-themed spin-off show called "The Green Pill," and introduced our new sponsors Human Meat and Vlad's Blintzes. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. ARTICLES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE Our round-up of 2021's biggest marijuana stories featured these articles and journalists:: LEAFLY REPORTS Leafly Cannabis Harvest Report this year (by David Downs) Leafly Jobs Report (by Bruce Barcott, Beau Whitney, and Janessa Bailey) Leafly Seeds of Change Report (by Janessa Bailey) Altria, Maker of Marlboro Cigarettes, Is Lobbying on Cannabis Sales in Virginia By Nushin Rashidian and Alyson Martin in Cannabis Wire How Mitch McConnell Accidentally Created An Unregulated THC Market By Lester Black at 538.com I needed answers. My hunt to find the backstory of the perfect pot pipe By Adam Tshcorn - LA Weekly Marijuana trade group drops lawsuit against state after backlash by Dan Adams - Boston Globe South Dakota Supreme Court Invalidates 2020 Marijuana Legalization Initiative As Activists Pursue 2022 Ballot Kyle Jager - Marijuana Moment VA Secretary ‘Looking At’ Medical Marijuana Policy Change Following ‘Profound’ Discussion With Veteran Kyle Jager - Marijuana Moment Conan O’Brien Celebrates Retirement By Smoking Weed With Seth Rogen On TV Kyle Jager - Marijuana Moment The Oligiarch and the Marijuana Fund Mary Jane Gibson - Rolling Stone Winemakers Collaborate With Weed Growers on New Cannabis Appellation System Jackie Bryant - Wine Enthusiast Celebrity Cannabis by Lindsey Carmela Bartlett in Forbes Steve Urkel Justin Bieber Seth Rogen Lil Kim ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DISCOVERS 17 PSYCHEDELIC COMPOUNDS by Jimi Divine - LA Weekly

When cannabis and capitalism collide, our community's best laid plans for an equitable industry all-too-often go up in smoke. Enter Shaleen Title, a longtime drug policy activist who in 2017 became one of five inaugural commissioners of Massachusetts's Cannabis Control Commission. Described as “the people’s weed watchdog” by Boston Magazine, Shaleen is widely recognized for her focus on social and racial justice and her efforts to make the cannabis industry more fair and inclusive. She's also an avid listener of Great Moments in Weed History who supports the podcast on Patreon—just saying... and she shares that among her personal great moments was being the first person to order legal cannabis delivery on the East Coast. Naturally Shaleen's weed and gummies were provided by a social equity company that represents everything she works for as an advocate, attorney and now head of the Parabola Center—a think-tank she co-founded to "support people not corporate profits" in the cannabis industry. Please join us for an engaging conversation on the bright green future of cannabis with someone helping to make it happen. SUPPORT "GREAT MOMENTS IN WEED HISTORY" ON PATREON Sign up for our Great Moments in Weed History Patreon for special bonuses and fun surprises, including exclusive access to our weekly video series "Moments in Weed" where we get blazed and talk about a cannabis current event.

When prominent author Marie Lee published an essay titled "Why I Give My 9-Year Old Pot" in 2009, it set off a media sensation. Years before CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta ever touched the subject, Lee's vulnerable and defiant description of desperately seeking relief for her severely ill son—and finding it in cannabis—struck a nerve with parents worldwide. Now a teacher in the creative writing program at Columbia University, Marie Lee joins Abdullah and Bean to relive her son Jay's difficult, rewarding journey using medical cannabis to treat severe autism and other debilitating conditions. Including the life-saving help they got along the way from Dr. Lester Grinspoon, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, underground marijuana growers, and the weed community writ large. We also get an update on Jay, who is doing great! SUPPORT "GREAT MOMENTS IN WEED HISTORY" ON PATREON Sign up for our Great Moments in Weed History Patreon for special bonuses and fun surprises. PLEASE VISIT OUR SPONSORS! This episode is brought to you by Tweedle Farms, Northwest Oregon's premier, family owned hemp farm, specializing in farm-to-table, terpene rich, high CBD hemp flower, concentrates, vapes, edibles and topicals. Use promo code “greatmoments” for 25% off your next order shipped anywhere in the United States. MARIE LEE'S NEW NOVEL Marie Lee's next book—The Evening Hero—is forthcoming May 2022 from Simon & Schuster;

In the 1990s, a new federal law banning any student with a drug conviction from receiving financial aid led to the formation of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). Created online by a swarm of young activists in the early days of the internet, the organization quickly grew into the largest student organization in the United States. Today SSDP has over 5,000 active members on 300 college campuses around the world, all of them dedicated to advocating for the legalization of cannabis and the end of the War on Drugs. To hear the antiestablishment history of this game-changing organization, Abdullah and Bean sit down with founding member Kris Krane, who has also served as SSDP's Executive Director. SUPPORT "GREAT MOMENTS IN WEED HISTORY" ON PATREON Sign up for our Great Moments in Weed History Patreon for special bonuses and fun surprises PLEASE VISIT OUR SPONSORS! This episode is brought to you by Tweedle Farms, Northwest Oregon's premier, family owned hemp farm, specializing in farm-to-table, terpene rich, high CBD hemp flower, concentrates, vapes, edibles and topicals. Use promo code “greatmoments” for 20% off your next order shipped anywhere in the United States.

In remote areas of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Southeast Asia, indigenous farmers cultivate cannabis on small plots that date back centuries. Maintaining their precious landrace strains has been an uphill battle in an age of rapid industrialization, but now the effort to preserve this living cultural and botanical history has gone global. The Indian Landrace Exchange is a a grassroots, locally-led, globally crowdsourced effort to support these traditional cannabis-growing communities while preserving some of the oldest cannabis strains on Earth before they're lost forever. In this episode, Abdullah and Bean speak with @irrazinig—co-founder of the Indian Landrace Exchange—about growing up surrounded by post-colonial cannabis, making a fateful trek to "the Humboldt County of India," and forming a mutually beneficial bridge between indigenous communities and the world of legal weed. SUPPORT "GREAT MOMENTS IN WEED HISTORY" ON PATREON Sign up for our Great Moments in Weed History Patreon for special bonuses and fun surprises PLEASE VISIT OUR SPONSORS! This episode is brought to you by Tweedle Farms, Northwest Oregon's premier, family owned hemp farm, specializing in farm-to-table, terpene rich, high CBD hemp flower, concentrates, vapes, edibles and topicals. Use promo code “greatmoments” for 20% off your next order shipped anywhere in the United States.

As America's most thoroughly freak-powered cannabis festival celebrates its 30th Anniversary, we share a sesh with legendary street activist Vivian McPeak,, who co-founded the Seattle Hempfest in 1991. From the event's radical roots as a "protestival" occupation of a public park, to the glory days of legends like Jack Herer and Woody Harrelson addressing 100,000+ stoners at 4:20 from the main stage amid a massive cloud of smoke, Vivian explains how a combination of hippie idealism, pothead pragmatism, mutual support and civil disobedience helped establish Seattle Hempfest as a people-powered working model for every freaky weed fest to follow.. Plus the inside story of the first-annual Bong-A-Thon, and a weed pun battle for the ages. Learn more and get involved at hempfest.org and check out Vivian's podcast Hempresent. SUPPORT "GREAT MOMENTS IN WEED HISTORY" ON PATREON Sign up for our Great Moments in Weed History Patreon for special bonuses and fun surprises PLEASE VISIT OUR SPONSORS! This episode is brought to you by Tweedle Farms, Northwest Oregon's premier, family owned hemp farm, specializing in farm-to-table, terpene rich, high CBD hemp flower, concentrates, vapes, edibles and topicals. Use promo code “greatmoments” for 20% off your next order shipped anywhere in the United States.

Upon turning 80, rock legend David Crosby gets lit with us and lovingly recalls the greatest moments of his own illustrious weed history. From blazing out The Beatles, to sailing the high seas with the 1970s most prolific pot smugglers, he's seen and smoked it all—and lived to tell the tale. Croz also explains why he loves growing his own, and just might write a song about it. Special thanks to Mighty Croz, his personal weed brand, for arranging the interview. And check out his excellent new album For Free. SUPPORT "GREAT MOMENTS IN WEED HISTORY" ON PATREON Sign up for our Great Moments in Weed History Patreon for special bonuses and fun surprises PLEASE VISIT OUR SPONSORS! This episode is brought to you by Tweedle Farms, Northwest Oregon's premier, family owned hemp farm, specializing in farm-to-table, terpene rich, high CBD hemp flower, concentrates, vapes, edibles and topicals. Use promo code “greatmoments” for 20% off your next order shipped anywhere in the United States.

Ross Rebagliati won the first ever Olympic gold medal in snowboarding, only to have it stripped away when officials reported he’d tested positive for marijuana on a post-race drug test. Ross soon found himself in a Japanese police station, under heavy interrogation for hours and potentially facing a long prison sentence simply for having a few nanograms of THC metabolite in his urine. He tells Abdullah and Bean his entire epic Olympic story, from being fifteen and one of the first serious ski racers to switch to snowboarding, to smoking weed on the chairlift while training for World Cup events, to everything he went through at the 1998 Olympics and its aftermath, and his new career as the founder of Ross’s Gold, a Canadian cannabis company. He also offers words of comfort and encouragement to sprinting sensation Sha'Carri Richardson, who was disqualified from this year’s Tokyo games after testing positive for THC. JOIN US ON PATREON Sign up for our Great Moments in Weed History Patreon for special bonuses and fun surprises PLEASE VISIT OUR SPONSORS! This episode is brought to you by Tweedle Farms, Northwest Oregon's premier, family owned hemp farm, specializing in farm-to-table, terpene rich, high CBD hemp flower, concentrates, vapes, edibles and topicals. Use promo code “greatmoments” for 20% off your next order shipped anywhere in the United States.

July 10th (7/10) is the 4/20 of hashish, a day to celebrate cannabis concentrates and culture in all forms—from the traditional sieve and hand-rub methods used in places like India, Morocco and Nepal for millennia to the modern world of BHO extracted dabs, with its many oils, waxes, shatters, crumbles, resins, and rosins. Sound confusing? Don't fret, because Abdullah, Bean and special guest expert Ry Prichard (Bong Appetit) will demystify and explain the fascinating history of cannabis concentrates, including how they're made, how they're consumed, and how to get the most out of this incredible way to inhale your weed without greening out. Best of all, after a long, long time recording over Zoom, we're back to blazing together IRL and so happy to share our first official sesh back on such an auspicious occasion. Program note: Bean gets really, really high in this episode! PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Brownie Mary's "magically delicious marijuana brownies" brought healing and joy to thousands of AIDS and cancer patients in San Francisco, even as she shouted down the police and took on City Hall. As this self-described "little old lady" once declared, shortly after being released from lock-up: "If the narcs think I'm gonna stop baking brownies for my kids with AIDS, they can go fuck themselves in Macy's window," We're proudly re-posting this episode from Season 1 of Great Moments in Weed History as the conclusion of our month-long Pride celebration. Special thanks to our sponsor Tweedle Farms for supporting this podcast, including this special Pride series of episodes! PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Dennis Peron first tried cannabis in Vietnam. After smuggling two pounds of high-grade herb home from the front, he became a charismatic and defiant leader of San Francisco's medical cannabis and gay rights movements. A fiery street-fighting optimist, Dennis suffered multiple stints in prison and even took a bullet in a police raid—all without ever giving up or backing down. As part of our ongoing Pride Month celebration, we're proudly re-posting this Season 1 episode that gets at the root of how the LGBTQ+ movement played a central role in not just changing the laws in California (and subsequently around the world), but in subverting a propaganda campaign against weed engineered by the government, law enforcement, and the medical establishment. Our Pride programming will conclude next week with our episode about Brownie Mary, another indomitable activist who fought for medical cannabis during the height of the AIDs crisis. Special thanks to our sponsor Tweedle Farms for supporting this podcast, including this special Pride series of episodes! PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Whether living in legal states or under prohibition, weed smokers continue to face stigmas and prejudices of all kinds. So to kick off our official Pride Month programming, we sat down for a smoky sesh with Jessamyn Stanley, a self-described “fat black queer woman" who's been breaking down barriers in American yoga since she began posting about her personal practice on Instagram in 2012. Jessamyn's the author of Every Body Yoga, has a new book Yoke: My Yoga of Self Acceptance out this month, hosts the podcast Jessamyn Explains It All, and has created the yoga app The Underbelly. She founded the activist organization We Go High North Carolina to push for an end to cannabis arrests and a social justice based approach to legalization. And she's a Great Moments in Weed History fan, who says her own cannabis activism was in part inspired by our episode on activist Dennis Peron. Our Pride programming will continue the next two weeks with re-releases of episodes about Dennis Peron and Brownie Mary, two indomitable activists who fought for medical cannabis during the height of the AIDs crisis. Special thanks to our sponsor Tweedle Farms for supporting this podcast, including our special Pride series of episodes! PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

From blazing a joint at his audition, to smoking Austin, TX completely out of marijuana during the shoot, Dazed and 'Confused star Jason London tells Abdullah and Bean that the greatest weed moments on set all happened between takes, and behind the scenes. So journey with us back to the magical summer of 1993, when a cast and crew of talented unknowns that included Matthew McConaughy, Ben Affleck, Renee Zellweger, Anthony Rapp, Mila Jovovich, Parker Posey and writer/director Richard Linklater all adopted a method-acting approach to portraying 1970s stoners, with plenty of high-jinx and high times ensuing on the way to making one of the most iconic stoner films of all time.. Warning: You don't need to have a joint to enjoy this episode, but it would be a lot cooler if you did. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Support for ending weed arrests is at an all-time-high, but our newly elected President has long been a leading proponent of the War on Drugs. So where does that leave us when it comes to passing federal legalization? And if it passes, will Biden sign it? To find out, Abdullah and Bean sat down with Representative Earl Blumenauer—co-founder of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, and a leading pro-weed voice in Washington, DC. After publicly pushing for legalization for more than fifty years, he explains why he believes so strongly in this issue, what to expect in the future, and why he (and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) decided to wear marijuana leaf masks to Congress. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

From Acapulco Gold to OG Kush, the history of cannabis breeding dates back thousands of years and spans the entire globe, spawning a story that stretches from the legendary landrace varietals of Nepal, Thailand, Nigeria, India and Morocco all the way to today's modern super hybrid strains. Due to prohibition, however, the history of these strains and the people who helped breed and proliferate them have been all-too-often lost, obscured or subverted. So to sift the myth from the legend, we're joined by the illustrious Danny Danko, longtime cultivation editor at High Times magazine before branching out on his own with the podcast Grow Bud Yourself. This is our official 4/20 episode for 2021, please share it with your buds while celebrating the high holiday. For a history of 4/20 itself, check out our Season 1 episode about the Waldos: "4/20 Started With a Treasure Map to a Weed Garden." PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Willie Nelson has smoked Snoop Dogg, Woody Harrelson, Ricky Williams, Chelsea Handler, Toby Keith, Johnny Knoxville and many other famous faces under the table. We got to hear a few of these hilarious stories firsthand recently while working with Willie and his crew on the Luck Summit, a four day online event (April 26-29) exploring cannabis in all aspects. As a special sneak preview of what's in store, we're proud to present a legend in his own right—Jay Chandrasekhar, star and director of Super Troopers, Beerfest and other films as part of the comedy troupe Broken Lizard. Jay joined us to share some incredible stories about getting blazed with America's most iconic living stoner. And stay tuned after that for the first ever episode of Great Moments in Weed History, about the time Willie smoked a joint on the roof of the White House. We've got some incredible surprises happening between now and 4/20, so please subscribe to the podcast and join us on social media. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

In a tale of weedy vengeance, Abdullah and Bean investigate the life of Harry J. Anslinger—America’s first “drug czar,” author of Marijuana: Assassin of Youth, and the man most responsible for the global prohibition of cannabis. And then they settle the score. This episode is tied to the premiere of The United States vs. Billie Holiday, a new film from Lee Daniels (Push, Empire) telling the awful true story of how Harry Anslinger used the full power of federal law enforcement to target the legendary jazz singer for multiple arrests, ultimately hounding her into an early grave. Highlighted by a brilliant Golden-Globe-nominated performance from Andra Day, the film rightly casts Anslinger as the villain. But with the narrative focused on Holiday and an undercover FBN agent tasked with taking her down, the head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and his decades-long racist campaign against weed doesn’t get a lot of screen time. So Abdullah and Bean decided to dig deep into Anslinger's horrific life story. And yes, exact an herbally-infused revenge worthy to be called a great moment in weed history! Special thanks to Johann Hari whose excellent book Chasing the Scream greatly informed this episode. Clips come from: Steve Martin on Saturday Night Live, George Carlin from his album Toledo Window Box, The Big Lebowski, Marijuana: Assassin of Youth, and the legend Ed “NJ Weedman” Forchion PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. GREAT MOMENTS IN WEED HISTORY MERCH Visit our new merch store with Teepublic.

Explore Santa Claus’s psychedelic roots in Siberia in the only Christmas Special where Old St. Nick gifts you magic mushrooms and even the reindeer get high AF (just ask Blixen)! So hang on to your sleigh bells, because Abdullah and Bean will be celebrating the holiday season this year with Amanita muscaria mushrooms, cannabis-infused cookies, marijuana mistletoe and fermented yak milk, just as Santa always intended Special thanks to Harvard professor Donald Pfister for his enlightening annual lecture on Psychedelic Santa! And to friend-of-the-podcast Nonna Marijuana of WAMM, who turns 98 this Christmas Day. You can watch Nonna and Abdullah make “egg nug” together in the Bong Appetit Christmas special. Or watch Nonna make medicated latkes. Check out Doubleblind magazine and MAPS for more information on psychedelics. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

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. (At the time of this podcast, the Supreme Court had yet to rule on a case brought by the Trump administration challenging DACA and the DREAM Act). Read John Lennon vs. The USA (written by Lennon's immigration attorney Leon Wildes) for more info, and watch the documentary The U.S. vs John Lennon Also learn more about Dr. Lester Grinspoon (whose expert witness on the difference between "marijuana" and "hashish" helped save the day) in our episode about Carl Sagan. Long live Nutopia! PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

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. Abdullah and Bean also discuss 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 shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Once a year, Hindus celebrate cannabis and the god Shiva with the ancient festival of Maha Shivaratri, an all-night affair of fasting, meditation, chanting, and dancing. Abdullah tells Bean the story in this Freaky High-Day episode, and the guys talk Hinduism, the divine origins of cannabis, weed-loving deities, and psychedelics. They also try hash-infused Bhang, one of the world's oldest edibles and maybe Shiva's favorite. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

A weed-fueled stoner prank escalated to the highest court in the land after a student in Juneau, Alaska used the opportunity of the olympic torch passing through town to unfurl a banner reading "Bong Hits For Jesus." What makes this a truly great moment in weed history is not just the way Joseph Frederick thumbed his nose at an oppressive high school and its humorless principal, but the years he spent afterward, defending his personal liberty and the free speech rights of all students in the United States. Along the way, he'd face police harassment, multiple arrests, and a series of courtroom battles that led all the way to the Supreme Court. Where the Justices repeatedly had to say and hear the words Bong Hits for Jesus. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Richard Lee's life changed forever when he slipped on a catwalk while setting up the lights for an Aerosmith concert, suffering a spinal injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. A Texas native raised by conservative Republican parents, Richard would fight to educate his family, his state, and ultimately the entire country about medical cannabis. Eventually, he transformed an eight-block stretch of his adopted home town so thoroughly that it came to be known, affectionately, as Oaksterdam. Richard’s empire included two cannabis coffeeshops, a medical cannabis dispensary, a gift shop, his political headquarters, and the 30,000 square foot main campus of Oaksterdam University, the country’s first trade school dedicated to training people for careers in the legal cannabis industry. He then put up his own money to run a state-wide marijuana legalization initiative in California. Not long after, the Feds came to shut him down. And the city of Oakland rose up in his defense. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Native American leader Alex White Plume planted his first hemp crop on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 2000, sparking a long battle over tribal sovereignty that included a series of DEA raids, a federal injunction, and a tense stand-off between Alex, his siblings, the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and the U.S. Department of Justice. Along the way, Alex would discover an important ally—millions of feral hemp plants that were first planted in the 1940s to support the U.S. war effort in WWII, as extolled in the long suppressed government propaganda film Hemp for Victory! Learn more of the White Plume's incredible story of suffering and vindication in the documentary Standing Silent Nation. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.

Roll another one, and celebrate the high holiday with part 2 of Abdullah and Bean's #BlazeAtHome420 special, which features even more of their personal greatest weed moments, from chopping it up with Dave Chappelle backstage at the Doobie Awards and getting cast as "Greasy Stoner #1" in an episode of the Trailer Park Boys and as a dab-ripping Phish fan on High Maintenance, to getting stoned in Siberia and slipping through the fingers of the KGB. Please stay safe, sane and stoned this 4/20 and be sure to assemble your own weed crews (past and present) for a digital sesh. Check out GMIWH social media (@gmiwhpodcast) for info on 4/20 livestreams where we'll be hosting weed history trivia live! To learn more about the history of 4/20, check out our Season 1 episode "4/20 Started With a Treasure Map to a Weed Garden." Thanks so much to everyone reaching out on social media to say the show is bringing you some joy and laughs right now, that means the world to us. PATREON Please support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon. Supporters get exclusive access to video shows and seshes, plus access to cool rewards like a signed book or signature lighter. And it truly helps us make the best show possible.