Episode 08: Alexandra Chasin, author of a biography of America's first drug czar Harry J. Anslinger who coined the term 'marijuana'

Explicit content warning

05/16/17 • 32 min

Alexandra Chasin is an associate professor at The New School. Her new book Assassin of Youth: A Kaleidoscopic History of Harry J. Anslinger's War on Drugs is a biography of America's first drug czar who popularized the term 'marijuana' and ushered in the Reefer Madness period of drug prohibition. A master propagandist prone to demonizing ethnic and immigrant groups, Anslinger's ideas laid the foundation for the modern drug war and brought awareness of cannabis to the American masses.

Alexandra and I talked about the Harrison Act, how America was scandalized by wild 'marijuana parties,' and the analogues between coming out as queer and coming out as a stoner.

Alexandra and I talked about the Harrison Act, how America was scandalized by wild 'marijuana parties,' and the analogues between coming out as queer and coming out as a stoner.

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Episode 07: Bill Levin, founder of The First Church of Cannabis

In 2015 longtime activist Bill Levin founded the First Church of Cannabis in Indianapolis. He is currently suing for the right to use the "sacrament of cannabis" as part of his church's religious practice.

Despite being frequently written about online, the First Church of Cannabis has no website. I called the number listed on their Facebook page and a woman picked up. She gave me Bill Levin's cell number and I called him.

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Episode 09: Francis Starlite from Francis and the Lights

Francis Starlite is behind Francis and the Lights, who in 2016 alone released the album Farewell, Starlite! and worked collaboratively with Bon Iver, Kanye West, The Weeknd and Frank Ocean. He performed extensively with Chance the Rapper and last week released a video for a remix of his song 'May I Have This Dance' featuring Chance.

Francis and I have been friends since elementary school and have been writing songs together for the last 15 years. We talked about why Francis spent the majority of his life avoiding marijuana, what made him give it a try during a rut in his 30s, and the time he unexpectedly ended up in a studio with Kanye West and Jay-Z.