KJZZ

KJZZ's Reefer Growing Madness

News EN ↓ 8 episodes

Nearly a century after cannabis was criminalized by the United States, most Americans live in a place where local police no longer arrest all marijuana users. Weed has become so abundant in places like metro Phoenix that you have to wonder how it’s even grown. Reefer Growing Madness from KJZZ’s Hear Arizona podcast unit tracks the roughly four-month journey of marijuana plants from tiny clones to ashes and smoke.

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: www.kjzz.org

Author

KJZZ

Episodes

Buy and burn: A special smoke session to sample new marijuana strain 26.03.2025 15:12

Epsiode 7: About 2 ounces of marijuana harvested from four Zpectrum plants were of buds large and pretty enough to be packaged in Alien Labs premium jars. The brand founder and his top local farmers visit a dispensary, pick up a few and then hold a special smoke session. Plus, a third-party weed connoisseur samples the strain.

Harvest time for the new marijuana strain brings relief — and a strong odor 19.03.2025 21:12

Epsiode 6: Time to chop down the Zpectrum plants. Then launch a curing process to dry, trim and package the yield. A pot farm this big produces an enormous amount of odor, which is still taboo, even though weed is legal. The perfume plants release during harvest is unavoidable, and perhaps the most pungent.

Despite operations in 3 states, the founder of Alien Labs says he’s still an outsider 12.03.2025 18:20

Episode 5: Only five Zpectrum plants remained by the end of the last spisode. And they still had a couple of days left in the vegetative room before moving to the longest phase of the grow-process. The founder of Alien Labs talks about growing as a professional to better deliver his passionate message on quality.

While marijuana plants enjoy a summer solstice, lead farmer shares how he clawed his way in 05.03.2025 15:39

Epsiode 4: The six tiny Zpectrum plants grew roots by the end of the last episode, but still had a couple days to survive before they could go into their own pots. The lead farmer had to move cross-country for a chance to scratch and claw his way into the marijuana industry.

Not all marijuana plants come from seeds. Meet the clones that will grow into a new strain 27.02.2025 15:22

Episode 3: At least some legit weed companies in what prohibitionists might call this Brave New Arizona don’t plant seeds. Meet and greet the freshly cut clones that Matt Casey aims to follow until they’re ashes.

Primer: Indica, sativa, terpenes and more weed terms you need to know 26.02.2025 12:50

Episode 2: Get set for a crash course on marijuana-specific terminology used in this podcast series. We’ll also explain the genetic makeup of the plants we’ll be following.

Prologue: How marijuana went from ghastly menace to eventual legalization in Arizona 19.02.2025 16:56

Episode 1: A reefer is a marijuana cigarette. "Reefer Madness" is a 1936 propaganda film that labels pot as a ghastly menace. This prologue for Reefer Growing Madness explores marijuana’s foothold in the U.S. — from cultural expression to anti-racial propaganda, then outlawed substance to eventual legalization in certain states.

Introducing Reefer Growing Madness: A podcast from KJZZ 13.02.2025 1:08

Join senior field correspondent Matt Casey for a series of episodes based on exclusive visits to a huge indoor pot farm, learn about the growing stages, and get to know some of the people involved. The first episode of Reefer Growing Madness debuts Wednesday, Feb. 19, wherever you get your podcasts.