logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2021
34m 16s

Plants of the Gods: S2E1. Marijuana: Why...

Mark Plotkin, Ph.D.
About this episode

Marijuana – What do the ancient Chinese, George Bush and The Beatles have in common? Knowingly or not, all benefited from one of the most well-known plants of the gods: marijuana. Between the highly practical uses of hemp fiber and its popular mind-altering properties, marijuana has been part of the human experience for thousands of years. Even so, marijuana remains a contentious topic in the United States in the 21st century. This episode explores the past and present of marijuana’s impact on shaping human history.

Up next
Oct 8
Plants of the Gods: S7E10. When Plants Speak: Exploring Ayahuasca with Rebekah Senanayake
Join Plants of the Gods as we explore the mysteries of ayahuasca with ethnobotanist Rebekah Senanayake. Through years of fieldwork with traditional indigenous masters in the northwest Amazon, Rebekah has learned how people connect with plants in profound and transformative ways. ... Show More
41m 2s
Sep 24
Plants of the Gods: S7E9. Spice - A New Book by Roger Crowley
In this episode of Plants of the Gods, ethnobotanist Dr. Mark Plotkin takes us on a sweeping journey through the epic history of the spice trade—one of the most transformative chapters in global history. From ancient trade routes and religious rituals to colonial conquests and mo ... Show More
18m 22s
Sep 10
Plants of the Gods: S7E8. Psychonauts: A New Book by Mike Jay
The Plants of the Gods podcast has pioneered the concept of mind-altering substances not being merely hallucinogens but also "ideogens," substances that generate new ideas and creative concepts. Nowhere was this more evident than among artists and the scientists in 19th-century E ... Show More
19m 7s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2024
The Stoned Age
In honor of 4/20, the girlies walk you through the hazy history of a most special substance: marijuana. In the first of two episodes, they discuss how weed has been used throughout history to treat medical maladies and help people connect with the spiritual realm. Plus, how the M ... Show More
1h 2m
Apr 2024
262: The Science of Weed (with @NOAHFINNCE) | ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
The 5th anniversary of Sci Guys means it’s high time we spoke about marijuana. Literally… It’s high time. Check out Noah’s music: https://tr.ee/f9DikNPhdQ Massive thanks to Evan for vision mixing and keeping us relatively sane: https://youtube.com/evan You can WATCH the podcast o ... Show More
1h 34m
Jan 2023
329. Marihuana, cannabis: mitos y verdades | Mafer Arboleda
¿Con qué ideas creciste y qué sabes de la marihuana, formalmente conocida como Cannabis? ¿Por qué se le ha puesto tanto interés a su legalización en los últimos años? ¿Es seguro el consumo del cannabis? ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre un consumo medicinal y un consumo recreativo? ¿Q ... Show More
56m 29s
Jan 2021
Is marijuana bad for your brain? | Anees Bahji
In 1970, marijuana was classified as a schedule 1 drug in the United States: the strictest designation possible, meaning it was completely illegal and had no recognized medical uses. Today, marijuana's therapeutic benefits are widely acknowledged, but a growing recognition for it ... Show More
6m 45s
Aug 2023
Is Cannabis a Safe Drug?
Over the last decade, cannabis use has been legalized in more states. At the same time, the idea that marijuana is a safe drug has steadily increased.But is this an accurate perception?Recent research by my guest, Dr. Ryan Sultan, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia Un ... Show More
46m 37s
Apr 2022
40: Puff, Puff, Pass: Dark History of Cannabis
Weed is a gateway drug. How many of us were warned about this in middle school health class? Well did you know it’s not true?  And has been disproven multiple times? I mean if you think about it, how much do we really know about cannabis.  Today we’re going to fix that.  We are g ... Show More
50m 51s
Oct 2022
The Effects of Cannabis (Marijuana) on the Brain & Body
In this episode, I discuss cannabis (aka marijuana), including the biological mechanisms underlying its effects on the mind and body, its known medical applications, its impact on libido, creativity, hunger, hormones and more. I also cover the known adverse health consequences of ... Show More
2h 38m
May 2022
The chemistry of cannabis
The Israel scientist Raphael Mechoulam has been researching what’s thought to be the world’s most popular drug since the 1960s. In 1964, he isolated Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC – the compound that gets cannabis-users high. Later, professor Mechoulam discovered another compound c ... Show More
8m 58s