CANNTHROPOLOGY

With his long, colorful dreadlocks, braided beard, hemp clothing, and home full of crystals, Marc Rossma n — better known as Soma — comes across more like an Eastern guru than a Dutch seed merchant. That’s because this Amsterdam -based American ex-pat has devoted his life to the hippie lifestyle, new age spirituality, and the sacrament of cannabis — earning himself a reputation as one of the world...

On July 27, 2025, the cannabis community lost one of its most consequential activists: Oaksterdam University founder Richard Lee . Often referred to as the “ Mayor of Oaksterdam ,” Lee was a paraplegic medical marijuana user turned activist whose business ventures helped transform a struggling area of Oakland into one of America’s cannabis reform capitals. Lee was the driving force behind three of...

Although 47 of the 50 states in our nation now allow legal access to medical marijuana in some form or another, cannabis remains prohibited on the federal level. It’s classified under Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act , indicating that the government’s official position is that cannabis has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medicinal value — a status that we all know is obviousl...

Author Jorge Cervantes has written some of the most influential grow guides of all time, establishing him as one of the world’s most renowned cannabis experts. Over his half-century-long career, Cervantes has published more than 50 books in 11 languages, including Indoor Marijuana Horticulture — the classic “grow bible” that has sold over a million copies. Which is why, despite being forced to hid...

When it comes to stoner tech, it doesn’t get much more historic than the Proto Pipe . Invented in 1970 by an artist and self-taught machinist from Denver named Phil Jergenson , the Proto Pipe was essentially the first pipe explicitly designed with the cannabis consumer in mind. It’s a truly ingenious smoking device that’s loaded with so many different tools and features that it’s become known as t...

On Labor Day weekend 2001, two gay cannabis activists were gunned down by police on their farm in Vandalia, Michigan, after a five-day siege that some have called “The Waco of Weed.” Tom Crosslin and Rollie Rohm were the owners and operators of Rainbow Farm —a 35-acre property where they hosted annual pro-cannabis festivals (such as Hemp Aid , the Roach Roast , and the World Hemp Expo Extravaganja...

Cannthropology is proud to present the first edition of our new series Unsung Outlaws —shining a light on some of the more obscure OGs of the underground cannabis scene (those who have never made headlines or received any recognition) and giving them an opportunity to share stories of their exploits and adventures. In this inaugural episode of Cannthropology: Unsung Outlaws , host Bobby Black spea...

This month, stoners around the world will be celebrating our high holiday— April 20th , or 4/20 . But how exactly did 420 become the official number of cannabis? Over the years, there have been several myths circulated about it: that it was some police code related to weed, or that it’s the number of chemical compounds in the plant … but believe it or not, the ultimate marijuana meme was actually...

In our latest installment of Cannthropology , we welcome to the show legendary cannabis cultivator, activist, and author, Ed Rosenthal —a.k.a. The Guru of Ganja . In this in-depth interview, host Bobby Black asks Ed about his time with the 60s radical group the Yippies , his friendship with High Times founder Tom Forcade and his long, complicated relationship with the magazine, his controversial a...

In this special double-sized episode of Cannthropology, host Bobby Black marks the 33rd anniversary of the launch of Operation Green Merchant—the most significant and sweeping attempt by the US Justice Department to eradicate cannabis growing in the United States—by welcoming to the show a Drug War POW who holds the unfortunate distinction of having served the longest jail sentence of anyone arres...

In the latest edition of Cannthropology , host Bobby Black speaks with legendary cannabis activist, author, cultivator, collector—and fellow cannthropologist— Todd McCormick . McCormick reflects back on his lifelong legal battle for medical marijuana, his time in prison, his many book and film projects, his new seed company Authentic Genetics , and his friendships with numerous OG cannabis activis...

In our latest episode of Cannthropology, host Bobby Black Zooms in with cannabis comedy legend Cheech Marin of Cheech & Chong fame to discuss his amazing career, his relationship with Tommy , his signature cannabis brands, and his feelings about dabbing, as well as the grand opening of his new Chicano art museum in California. Richard “Cheech” Marin and Thomas Chong rose to stardom in the '70s...

In this special installment of Cannthropology recorded live in November 2021 at the Alaska Leaf Bowl event in Anchorage, host Bobby Black delves into the history of cannabis in Alaska with the COO of Wasilla’s Green Jar dispensary Bailey Stuart . The topics discussed include: how Alaska became the second state to decriminalize cannabis, how the grandfather of Alaskan legalization Irwin Ravin got t...

In our latest episode of Cannthropology , we welcome to the show Tom Alexander —founder and publisher of the legendary cannabis cultivation publication Sinsemilla Tips whose magazine and grow shop in Oregon were among the primary targets of a massive DEA sting operation in 1989 intended to shut down cannabis cultivation in the US known as Operation Green Merchant . Alexander opens up to host Bobby...

In the latest installment of Cannthropology , we explore the history of rolling papers—from their origins in Alcoy, Spain in the 1600s, to their expansion into France in the 1800s, and the market shift toward cannabis and the counterculture during the 1960s and 70s, we’ll touch on the various pioneers, innovations, and brands (including Bambu , Pay-Pay, OCB , Rizla+ , Zig-Zag , E-Z Wider and more)...

In the newest edition of Cannthropology , host Bobby Black speaks with Eleanora Kennedy , the widow of legendary civil rights lawyer Michael Kennedy . Over the course of his long, controversial career, Kennedy represented and assisted many counterculture icons, including labor leaders Cesar Chaves and Dolores Huerta , Black Panthers founder Huey Newton , Weather Underground leaders Bill Ayers and...

In the latest episode of Cannthropology , we delve deep into the musky, gooey, spicy, savory history of hashish...or “HASHistory,” if you will. What exactly is hashish, how do we define it? When and where was it first invented or discovered? How was it popularized and spread across the world? How has it evolved over the centuries, and what role has it played in cannabis culture? To help us sort th...

In our new episode of Cannthropology , we explore the origins of how Amsterdam became the cannabis capital of Europe, from the perspective of one of the Netherlands’ most pivotal cannabis pioneers– Wernard Bruining . He’s known as “ The Potfather ,” and with good reason: in 1973, he opened Amsterdam’s very first coffeeshop, the Mellow Yellow ; in 1980, he started the world’s first commercial canna...

In the latest installment of Cannthropology , we look back at the Youth International Party , aka the Yippies —the anarchistic activist group from the 1960s founded by Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin . Once referred to as “Groucho Marxists,” the Yippies employed absurdist pranks and satirical street theater as a means to embarrass the establishment and call attention to their liberal causes, such as...

In our first episode of 2021, host Bobby Black speaks with one of the glass industry’s first and foremost bong makers, Jerome Baker Designs founder Jason Harris . Harris talks about his apprenticeship with legendary glassblower Bob Snodgrass in the 1990s, losing everything during the government’s Operation Pipe Dreams raids in 2003 and how his brand was able to rebound, as well as his latest proje...

In the latest edition of Cannthropology , host Bobby Black speaks with one of our nation’s most beloved and beleaguered medical marijuana growers and activists, OG Eddy Lepp . In the late 1990s-early 2000s, he ran the largest medical cannabis grow in history, Eddy’s Medicinal Garden . Lepp opens up about his Rastafari religious ministry, the raid of his farm (the largest individual bust in DEA his...

In this extended episode, we tackle an important topic: racism and its relationship to cannabis prohibition. Host Bobby Black welcomes on 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 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 legendar...

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 co-founde...

In this episode of Cannthropology, host Bobby Black converses with the “ High Priest of Cannabis Americana ,” renowned counterculture artist (and World of Cannabis Museum advisory board member) Pat Ryan , who discusses his life as a counterculture artist in California throughout the 1960s and 70s, his relationships with other legendary artists like Dave Sheridan , Rick Griffin, and Stanley Mouse ,...