High Times Founder Tom Forcade Pt. 1

Weed smuggler/political revolutionary Tom Forcade once described his life goal as going “all the way, whatever that may bring." 

In 1974, at just 29 years old, he used profits from flying planeloads of Colombian bud into the country to found High Times magazine.

At the time, Forcade already had a long history of subversive acts under his belt, including throwing a pie in the face of Otto Larsen, head of the U.S. Commission on Obscenity and Pornography during a congressional hearing, getting indicted for a supposed plot to firebomb the 1972 Republican National Convention, forming the Zippies as a more confrontational alternative to Abbie Hoffman's Yippies, and helping to lead the then ascendent underground press movement in the United States.

But while everyone today knows High Times, few remember the brilliant, radical, mercurial swashbuckler who started it all. So buckle up for one of the wildest, weediest rides in the history of this weed history podcast.

Also in this episode: As a ten year High Times veteran, Bean shares his thoughts on that experience, and speculates on what Tom Forcade might think of today’s cannabis industry—including the investors who’ve taken control of his creation.

Check out the book Smoking Typewriters to learn more about the underground press movement of the 1960s and 70s, which was frequently targeted for marijuana arrests as part of a general campaign of government repression.

PATREON

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