Great Moments in Weed History
Great Moments in Weed History delves deep into humanity's 10,000+ year relationship with cannabis (a.k.a. marijuana) to explore the humor, heart, and historical importance of the planet's most revered and maligned plant. Hosted by David Bienenstock.
Episodes
May 1, 2024 • 56 mins
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 see...
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April 17, 2024 • 46 mins
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.
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April 3, 2024 • 68 mins
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.
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March 20, 2024 • 52 mins
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 outs...
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March 6, 2024 • 69 mins
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...
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February 20, 2024 • 56 mins
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)."
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February 7, 2024 • 57 mins
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.
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January 24, 2024 • 59 mins
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.
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January 10, 2024 • 51 mins
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 invent...
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December 28, 2023 • 55 mins
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.
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December 13, 2023 • 62 mins
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.
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November 29, 2023 • 48 mins
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 foll...
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November 15, 2023 • 64 mins
Todd McCormick’s weed journey began when his mom handed him a joint on the way home from chemotherapy. As a survivor 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.
Getting busted for growing medical cannabis at a mansion in Bel-Air made him an international cannabis cause célèbre, but that's just on...
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November 1, 2023 • 58 mins
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 canna...
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October 18, 2023 • 58 mins
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.
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October 4, 2023 • 41 mins
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...
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September 20, 2023 • 49 mins
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 Las...
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September 6, 2023 • 54 mins
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.
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August 23, 2023 • 74 mins
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 incr...
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August 9, 2023 • 49 mins
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.
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