

Great Moments in Weed History
David Bienenstock
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
Mentioned books

Nov 7, 2024 • 48min
Weed Shall Overcome (w/ Dr. Mariana Hoyo)
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...PATREONPlease 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 ARCHIVEVisit our podcast feed for 130+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Oct 30, 2024 • 57min
Hunter S. Thompson Ran for Sheriff on A Freak Power Platform
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.PATREONPlease 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 ARCHIVEVisit our podcast feed for 130+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Oct 16, 2024 • 1h 2min
Weed Voter Guide + Secret Tapes Reveal War on Marijuana Was A Fraud!
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.PATREONPlease 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 ARCHIVEVisit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Sep 18, 2024 • 54min
Meet the Ultimate 'Cannabis Couple'
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 5Get 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.PATREONPlease 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 ARCHIVEVisit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Sep 4, 2024 • 59min
Your 'Burning Questions' About Weed Answered
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?PATREONPlease 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 ARCHIVEVisit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Aug 21, 2024 • 56min
"I Weed A Miracle Every Day" — The Grateful Dead Get Busted and Win
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.PATREONPlease 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 ARCHIVEVisit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Aug 7, 2024 • 36min
Higher Education: Now You Can Major in Cannabis Studies
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!PATREONPlease 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 ARCHIVEVisit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Jul 24, 2024 • 1h 4min
From 'High Times' to 'Reefer Dadness'
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.PATREONPlease 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 ARCHIVEVisit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Jul 10, 2024 • 38min
America's Best Dispensary Has Deep Roots
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 CELEBRATECheck out our 7/10 Holiday Episodes from Years Past:Celebrate Hash's High Holiday w/ Roger from PuffcoPsychedelic Surfers Invented DabsCelebrating Hash High Holiday w/ an IRL SeshPATREONPlease 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 ARCHIVEVisit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Jun 26, 2024 • 1h 1min
An Outlaw Weed Smuggler Started The World's Most Prestigious Pot Contest
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.PATREONPlease 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 ARCHIVEVisit our podcast feed for 120+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.


