Category: Cannabis History

A State of the Union on the State of Cannabis Media

Four faceless figures seated at a wooden table in a dimly lit worn room, one holding a newspaper and another holding a box of papers, hanging lamp above casting a narrow pool of light, scene evoking secrecy and institutional decline, shown under an Institutional Decay banner and a headline about a state of the union on the state of cannabis media, with the Pot Culture Magazine logo and PotCultureMagazine.com at the bottom

Cannabis media is undergoing a predictable institutional decay. The movement’s original architects have transformed from revolutionary contributors into defensive gatekeepers, protecting their legacy rather than fostering future growth. This manifesto examines the four archetypes of decay: the Gatekeeper, the Mercenary, the Scavenger, and the Shill, that currently stifle the industry’s independent voice and threaten the future of cannabis culture.

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Ed Rosenthal and the Origins of High Times

Photo of Ed Rosenthal speaking into a microphone while wearing a white coat with cannabis leaf patches, photo courtesy of Angelabacca.

Ed Rosenthal recounts how the magazine was born not from psychedelic myth but from hard numbers. Rolling paper import data, underground press experience, and market logic revealed a massive hidden cannabis audience. His account challenges the romantic origin story and offers a rare firsthand look at the early mechanics behind one of cannabis culture’s most influential publications.

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Outlaw Crop: The Hemp Story

A tall hemp plant stands in focus against a golden sunset, silhouetted by the warm orange sky over a distant mountain range. The text “OUTLAW CROP: THE HEMP STORY” appears in bold yellow above the plant, with the Pot Culture Magazine logo and copyright tag along the bottom. The image captures a defiant yet natural tone, emphasizing hemp’s agricultural beauty and its controversial history.

Hemp’s long exile from American agriculture ended with the 2018 Farm Bill. Once banned as contraband, it’s now a cornerstone of sustainable farming and wellness culture. From hempcrete to CBD, this plant’s comeback shows how truth outlasts propaganda. The Hemp Redemption traces its journey from demonization to global commodity.

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Century of Smoke and Lies

A realistic photograph of a cannabis bud and a fresh green marijuana leaf resting on an old hardcover book, with the bold headline text reading “Century of Smoke and Lies” above and “A Hundred Years of Cannabis Prohibition” below. The background is warm brown with golden lighting, creating a vintage and serious tone. Branding for Pot Culture Magazine, including its logo and copyright ©2025PotCultureMagazine/ArtDept, appears in the lower right corner.

A hundred years after the 1925 International Opium Convention first outlawed cannabis, prohibition still stands as one of the biggest policy failures in modern history. From colonial fear and racist propaganda to Nixon’s drug war and global treaties, the cost has been human lives, stolen freedom, and wasted truth. The plant survived. The lies didn’t.

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Chris Simunek and the Culture They Tried to Bury

Former High Times Magazine Editor-in-Chief Chris Simunek sits on a concrete step, smoking from a pipe as smoke swirls around his face in a black-and-white photograph.

In this exclusive interview, Chris Simunek, former Editor in Chief of High Times, reflects on the outlaw era of cannabis culture when speaking up about weed was a risk, not content. He takes us inside the raw and rebellious movement that existed before legalization and corporate cannabis.

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Steve Hager’s High Times Legacy

Steven Hager wearing sunglasses, a baseball cap, and a “Riders du Soleil” shirt, sitting on a dock by a calm lake with trees and sky in the background.

Steve Hager transformed High Times from a chaotic drug tabloid into a spiritual and cultural force for cannabis. Discover how he created the Cannabis Cup, popularized 420, and built the foundation of modern cannabis culture in this deep dive into his legacy.

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