Cannthropology

Cannabis Prohibition’s Racist Roots - featuring The Equity Organization’s Founder & Executive Director Natalie Papillion (Episode 7). In this extended episode, we tackle an important topic: racism and its relationship to cannabis prohibition. Host Bobby Black welcomes the founder and executive director of The Equity Organization Natalie Papillion to talk about the history of racism and cannabis. From the fear of black jazz musicians and Mexican immigrants in the 1920s and 30s to Nixon’s targeting of black and Jewish activists in the early 1970s; from the mandatory minimum sentences of the 1980s to stop and frisk in the 1990s; from mass incarceration and asset forfeiture to voter disenfranchisement and the inequities of the burgeoning cannabis industry—we lay out all of the racist rhetoric and sobering statistics, and discuss what might be done to remedy the systemic issues we face. Natalie Papillion is a writer, researcher, and Yale graduate who contributed to the 2014 American Book Award-winning Jim Crow Freedom: Memory and Identity in Black America Since 1940 and author of the upcoming book Reefer Madness: The Roots of Marijuana Prohibition in America. She’s also the Founder and Executive Director of The Equity Organization, a nonprofit organization working to advance fair, effective, and equitable criminal justice and drug policy reforms.
The World of Cannabis Museum Project Presents Cannthropology—the potcast that explores the history of cannabis culture one artifact and interview at a time. Hosted by World of Cannabis executive director and marijuana media icon Bobby Black. In each episode, Bobby chooses a different item(s) from the museum's collection of around 500 rare antiques, artifacts, and artworks, and welcomes a different guest to help him explore the item’s significance and place in cannabis history.

From Ann Arbor to Amsterdam - featuring Hash Bash Organizer/Emcee Adam Brook (Episode 6). In this special archive edition of Cannthropology: Amsterdam Sessions recorded live in Amsterdam in early December of last year, host Bobby Black sits down with OG Michigan cannabis activist Adam Brook. During a hazy hashish smoking session, the two discuss a number of topics, including the history of Michigan’s cannabis laws; Ann Arbor’s famous Hash Bash event and how it was inspired by legendary activist John Sinclair; how laws and attitudes regarding cannabis have changed over the decades; the early days of the High Times Cannabis Cup; their mutual affinity for the city of Amsterdam; and some of the rare items he’s donated to the museum collection. Adam Brook is the longtime organizer & emcee of the annual Hash Bash rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He’s also the organizer of the Hash Bash Cup and personal manager of cannabis culture legend John Sinclair. Brook was named High Times Freedom Fighter of the year in 1994, which provided him the opportunity to attend the first Cannabis Cup event in Amsterdam that was open to the public that year. Photo credit: Malcolm Mackinnon. The World of Cannabis Museum Project Presents: Cannthropology—the potcast that explores the history of cannabis culture one artifact and interview at a time. Hosted by World of Cannabis executive director and marijuana media icon Bobby Black. In each episode, Bobby chooses a different item(s) from the museum's collection of around 500 rare antiques, artifacts, and artworks, and welcomes a different guest to help him explore the item’s significance and place in cannabis history.

Tribute to Lester Grinspoon - with special guests David Grinspoon, Keith Stroup, Allen St. Pierre, Valerie Leveroni Corral, and Rick Cusick (Ep. 5). In this special extended episode of Cannthropology, we honor the passing of the “Godfather of Medical Marijuana” Dr. Lester Grinspoon. To memorialize his life and legacy, host Bobby Black welcomes on some of those who were closest to the good doctor: his son, astrobiologist and author David Grinspoon; NORML founder Keith Stroup, former NORML executive director Allen St. Pierre, WAMM cofounder Valerie Leveroni Corral, and former High Times associate publisher Rick Cusick, who all share some of their favorite memories, anecdotes, and insights into one of the consequential advocates in the cannabis community.

Back to NORML - featuring National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws founder Keith Stroup (Episode 3). In this episode of Cannthropology, host Bobby Black speaks with the founder of cannabis advocacy group NORML Keith Stroup about the organization’s 50-year history, his rediscovery and revival of pot propaganda film Reefer Madness, and his personal relationships with other counterculture icons like Hunter S. Thompson, Hugh Hefner, Willie Nelson, and High Times founder Tom Forcade. Keith Stroup is the founder, former executive director & current legal counsel for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, better known as NORML, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. He’s the author of the autobiography It's NORML to Smoke Pot: The 40-Year Fight for Marijuana Smokers' Rights (High Times Books). He’s also the recipient of the 1992 Richard J. Dennis Drugpeace Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Drug Policy Reform from the Drug Policy Alliance, and the 2012 Lester Grinspoon Lifetime Achievement Award from High Times, and on April 20th, 2020 was named a 420 Icon (one of top 100 cannabis influencers of all time) by the Cannabis Business Awards (in collaboration with World of Cannabis). The World of Cannabis Museum Project Presents Cannthropology—the potcast that explores the history of cannabis culture one artifact and interview at a time. Hosted by World of Cannabis executive director and marijuana media icon Bobby Black. In each episode, Bobby chooses a different item(s) from the museum's collection of around 500 rare antiques, artifacts, and artworks, and welcomes a different guest to help him explore the item’s significance and place in cannabis history.

Assassins of Truth - featuring World of Cannabis Museum Advisory Board member Rick Cusick (Episode 2). In this episode of Cannthropology, host Bobby Black welcomes on World of Cannabis Museum Advisory Board member Rick Cusick to discuss a publication with a prominent piece of prohibitionist propaganda: The American Magazine’s “Marijuana—Assassin of Youth” co-authored by infamous anti-cannabis crusader Harry J. Anslinger.
Rick Cusick is the former editor, ad director, and associate publisher of High Times Magazine. He is also a founding partner of Whoopi Goldberg’s medical marijuana company Whoopi and Maya, a member of the Board of Directors at the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), and Cannabis Business Awards Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. He is currently nearing completion on several books and writes a regular column on the website the drugtestnews.com.
The World of Cannabis Museum Project Presents: Cannthropology—the podcast that explores the history of cannabis culture one artifact and interview at a time. Hosted by World of Cannabis executive director and marijuana media icon Bobby Black. In each episode, Bobby chooses a different item (or items) from the museum's collection of around 500 rare antiques, artifacts, and artworks, and welcomes on a different guest to help him explore that item’s unique significance and place in cannabis history.
Check out our syndicated Cannthropology blog at worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology and via our media partners: Leaf Magazine, Skunk Magazine, Cannasseur Magazine, NUGL Magazine & Cannapolitan Magazine. If you would like to carry our content in your cannabis publication or website, or are interested in becoming a sponsor of this podcast, please contact us at [email protected].