Drug Cultures

Susannah Cahalan stops by Drug Cultures to talk about The Acid Queen , her recently published biography of counterculture icon Rosemary Woodruff Leary, Timothy Leary's wife, muse, and accomplice. We talk about why she chose to profile Rosemary, why Rosemary's story is as relevant as ever in the 21st century, and what people get wrong when they talk about the life and legacy of Timothy Lear...

A third kratom episode! I sit down with Oshin Diaz from Jaya Kratom to talk about the industry and how it is rapidly changing the economy, and environment, of Borneo. An island traditionally dominated by the logging industry is now the global hotspot of kratom exports - provided the plant remains legal. Pictured in episode cover: kratom grown alongside rice in rural Borneo

I unpack Trump's ongoing threats of terrorism against Iran. Is there any future where Trump supporters can remain a part of the psychedelic renaissance without damaging the reputation of these drugs? And can psychedelics be tools not just of healing, but of courage in the face of moral atrocity? Art by Caitlin Johnstone

I discuss my latest piece for High Times breaking down the divide in the kratom world between the leaf kratom and 7-OH industries. I dive into the world of kratom lobbying groups, and explore their connections with scientists and regulators. Then, Soren Shade joins the podcast to talk about his experience with these groups, as well as the broader landscape of drug prohibition and the systemic fact...

The United States, after months of bombing speedboats alleged to be carrying drugs, has just abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. In this episode, I do a deep dive into the reality of Venezuela's relationship with the drug trade, as well as the history of America's longstanding animosity toward Maduro, Chavez, and the so-called "Bolivarian Revolution"

Kava has become one of the most popular "alcohol alternatives" in many Western countries in recent decades. But for thousands of years, it held an important spiritual and political role in Pacific Island societies, and was viewed as a major threat by Christian missionaries from Europe. In this episode, I unpack kava's history, focusing on Vanuatu and Fiji to explore the intersection...

I sit down with Dennis Walker from the Mycopreneur podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on psychedelic consumer packaged goods, biopiracy, and how to best keep people safe and informed as psychedelic drugs continue to proliferate through non-traditional channels.

Mormons are notoriously straight-edged; for most, temperance not only includes alcohol, but stimulants like coffee as well. In this episode of Drug Cultures, I explore the ways in which that may not have been the case in the past. I take a look at the "psychedelic origins of Mormonism" hypothesis, and do a deep dive into the history of Fred M Smith: the grandson of Joseph the prophet who...

I debrief the recent Psychedelic Science 2025 conference, particularly the panels on Israeli and Palestinian perspectives on psychedelic therapy for conflict-related trauma. This episode dives into MAPS Israel's studies of the effect of MDMA and LSD on the survivors of the 10/7 attack, and the way in which collective trauma is used to justify the ongoing genocide in Gaza. As President Trump an...

In what I hope to be part 1 of a Drug Cultures mini-series on sobriety, I take a look at the recent phenomenon of choosing to be "Cali sober" - a version of sobriety that still allows for responsible consumption of cannabis, and sometimes other psychedelics. How does it work? Who does it work for? How has it been received by the recovery community? And does the science support it? Listen...

I sit down with Jonathan Maxwell Stanaford, founder of Oregon's first psychedelic mushroom church, to discuss his upbringing, the legal landscape of psychedelic churches, and making the psychedelic experience accessible to poor and working class people. https://www.youtube.com/@ravenofthesacredentheogen?si=WbZNYXpd6DGXEU-j https://ravenofthesacredentheogen.com/

In the 19th century, the Opium Wars began a "century of humiliation" for China, which would repeatedly suffer economic and military catastrophes in the decades to follow. Opium addiction, while not the cause of this catastrophe, would make the despair far more visible. In this episode, we do a deep dive into the little known story of how the CCP eradicated opium in China for more than tw...

Through centuries of prejudice (and deep national pride), Ireland has long been known for its alcohol drinking culture. In the 19th century, however, much of Northern Ireland gave up its drinking habit and replaced it with a powerfully mind-altering elixir that is now largely forgotten: ether. How and why did this happen? And just what role did the Great Famine and the Irish struggle for independe...

When cats roll around in catnip, are they getting high? What about when humans smoke it? And why did people keep getting arrested for using it in New York in the early 1900s? The purr-fect episode for the cat lover in your life, I trace the long and meandering history of this remarkable herb, as well as its forgotten history as a medical plant (and, potentially, as a human intoxicant)

There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen. In this episode of Drug Cultures, join me as I dive into the sudden collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, and the role played by the amphetamine-type stimulant captagon in the country’s ongoing war.

Republicans, for decades, have been the loudest cheerleaders for the war on drugs. Trump's 2024 coalition, however, is remarkably pro-psychedelic. In this episode, I explore how this came to be. Why is Trump suddenly capturing the attention of people who use hallucinogens? And is Trump's increasing appeal to psychonauts a symptom of a broader change in the Republican base?

Palestinians have long foraged for the wild plants za'atar and akkoub, staples of their cuisine. Israel has deemed this practice illegal, and cited environmental concerns. Beneath the science, however, lies a political agenda. In this episode, I explore how these anti-foraging laws came to be, and why they function in the exact same way as many drug laws around the world.

Curious humans have been trying psychoactive substances and documenting their experiences since the dawn of history. In this episode, I do a deep dive into scientific self-experimentation. Once considered the ethical thing to do for any scientist or physician working with psychoactive drugs, the practice has faded into relative obscurity. But why did things change? And what, if anything, has been...

Much like the cactus itself, the peyote religion has adapted to survive in the harshest of environments. In this episode, I trace peyote's relationship with humanity from ancient caves to modern courtrooms, and discuss how indigenous communities have fought to maintain access to a sacred plant.

Even in a culture known for its ferocity in battle, the reputation of a class of warrior known as Berzerkers remains in a league of its own. But how did the Berzerkers achieve the trance state that ostensibly gave them their almost superhuman battle strength? In this episode, I explore whether or not they used psychoactive substances to achieve this state, and present a few of the possible contend...

In the first installment of a (hopefully) multipart series on the use of drugs in ancient warfare, I explore the way in which the modern uses of ayahuasca have been shaped Western values and colonization, and explore whether or not ayahuasca might have once been used as a catalyst for combat.

In the US, kratom is used by millions of people for energy, focus, pain relief, and opium withdrawal. But in Thailand, where the tree is native, its use has been prohibited for most of the last century. In this episode of Drug Cultures, I explore the origins of kratom prohibition, its recent decriminalization, and its purported connection to a violent separatist insurgency.

Is Yemen's most widely used drug responsible for its severe water scarcity? What about its poverty crisis? In the first ever episode of Drug Cultures, I dive into the history of this little-known stimulant shrub, as well as the recent political history of Yemen and the way in which khat is scapegoated for its problems.