Dazed and Confused: An Overview of Cannabis
Dazed and Confused explores the turbulent history of cannabis in the United States—from its criminalization to its medical rebranding and reemergence as a legal commodity. Told across major eras—Era of Madness, War, Medicalization, and Legalization—each episode blends historical archives, AI-narrated storytelling, and cultural analysis to examine the policies, panics, and power struggles that shaped the modern War on Drugs. If you’ve ever wondered how a plant went from pharmacy shelf to felony charge—and now to dispensary counter—this is the story.
Second Chances and Shifting Minds // Obama // Era of Legalization [8]
By the mid-2010s, America’s cannabis debate had shifted dramatically. President Obama commuted more non-violent drug sentences than any president before him, while public support for legalization soared to 60%. Yet, cannabis became a partisan fault line—Democrats called for reform, Republicans warned of retreat. In this episode, we explore how Obama’s presidency marked a turning point, setting the stage for the next political battle over legalization during the Trump years.
Links Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cpmaynard Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/christianmaynard
#CannabisHistory, #DrugPolicy, #WarOnDrugs, #Medicalization, #Criminology
Rising Arrests, Shifting Attitudes // Era of Medical [7]
In this episode of Dazed and Confused, we explore the Era of Medicalization — a period marked by rising cannabis arrests, evolving adolescent use, and shifting public attitudes. Despite the 1994 Crime Bill and intensified enforcement, support for legalization doubled from 25% to 50% between 1995 and 2011. National surveys like MTF, NSDU, and YRBS reveal how young people perceived cannabis risk and availability during this pivotal era.
Links Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cpmaynard Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/christianmaynard #CannabisHistory, #DrugPolicy, #WarOnDrugs, #Medicalization, #Criminology
Bush’s Cannabis Crackdown, Obama’s Shift // Era of Medicalization [6]
In this episode of Dazed and Confused, we trace cannabis policy through the George W. Bush years into the early Obama presidency. Bush expanded federal crackdowns on state medical cannabis programs, even as voters and legislatures pushed reform across the country. Cases like Ed Rosenthal’s prosecution and the Heritage Foundation’s opposition reveal how federal resistance clashed with growing state-level momentum. With Obama’s election, the tone began to change: the Justice Department pulled back from raids, and Washington, D.C. finally implemented its medical program. By the end of Bush’s term, 13 states had legalized medical use — a remarkab...
“I Didn’t Inhale” // Clinton, Cannabis, and the 1990s // Era of Medicalization [5]
In 1992, Bill Clinton famously said he tried marijuana but “didn’t inhale.” That line became a national punchline, but his presidency coincided with a major turning point: the rise of medical cannabis. From California’s Proposition 215 to Washington D.C.’s blocked Initiative 59, grassroots activists reframed cannabis as medicine while federal leaders fought to keep prohibition intact. In this episode of Dazed and Confused, we explore how patients and advocates challenged stigma, how Clinton’s administration responded, and how the 1990s laid the foundation for the medical cannabis era.
About the Podcast:
Dazed and Confused explores the...
Arrests Up, Use Down: The Contradictions // Era of War [4]
The War on Drugs promised to curb cannabis use, especially among teens. But the numbers told a different story. National surveys showed use actually dropped, perceptions of risk climbed, and availability barely budged—even as arrests soared and legalization support lagged. This episode breaks down the data behind the panic and why the evidence didn’t match the rhetoric.
Links
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cpmaynard
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/christianmaynard
Title: Arrests Up, Use Down: The Contradictions of the War on Drugs [4]
#W...
From Hope to Crackdown // Reagan’s Drug War // Era of War [3]
From Hope to Crackdown // Reagan’s Drug War // Era of War [3]
The War on Drugs didn’t appear overnight—it escalated through presidential rhetoric, federal enforcement, and cultural campaigns. In this episode of Dazed and Confused, we trace the Era of War from Jimmy Carter’s brief push for cannabis decriminalization in the late 1970s to the Reagan and Bush administrations’ full-throttle enforcement strategies in the 1980s and early 1990s. From paraquat spraying in Mexico to D.A.R.E. in schools, Just Say No campaigns, and asset forfeiture, we explore how cannabis criminalization became deeply embedded in law and...
How Cannabis Became Public Enemy Number One // Nixon // Era of War [2]
Before the first states decriminalized cannabis, the U.S. government launched a full-scale political and cultural offensive against it. From Nixon’s “War on Drugs” to Reagan’s hardline rhetoric, the 1960s through the 1980s saw cannabis criminalization entrenched in law and weaponized in politics. In Episode Two of Dazed and Confused, we dive into The Era of War—a turbulent period when federal crackdowns collided with youth counterculture, state-level resistance, and shifting public opinion. From Operation Intercept to the Shafer Commission’s ignored recommendations, we trace how cannabis policy became a tool for voter suppression, cultural control, and internationa...
How Cannabis Became Stigmatized // Hemp Hysteria // Era of Madness [1]
Before cannabis was criminalized, it was a cornerstone of colonial agriculture and a trusted pharmaceutical remedy. So how did marijuana or cannabis become a symbol of danger, deviance, and decline in U.S. history? In episode one of Dazed and Confused, we explore the early history of cannabis legalization and prohibition in America—from Jamestown’s 1619 hemp mandates to the first state-level legal crackdowns in the 1910s and 1920s. Featuring archival quotes, AI narration, and original analysis, this episode uncovers how cannabis, once cultivated by Founding Fathers and prescribed by doctors, became the target of growing public fear, moral pani...
Dazed and Confused Podcast | Trailer #2
Launches October 1st
About the Podcast:
Dazed and Confused explores the turbulent history of cannabis in the United States—from its criminalization to its medical rebranding and reemergence as a legal commodity. Told across major eras—Era of Madness, War, Medicalization, and Legalization—each episode blends historical archives, AI-narrated storytelling, and cultural analysis to examine the policies, panics, and power struggles that shaped the modern War on Drugs.
If you’ve ever wondered how a plant went from pharmacy shelf to felony charge—and now to dispensary counter—this is the story.
🔔 Subscrib...
Dazed and Confused Podcast | Trailer #1
Launches October 1st
About the Podcast:
Dazed and Confused explores the turbulent history of cannabis in the United States—from its criminalization to its medical rebranding and reemergence as a legal commodity. Told across major eras—Era of Madness, War, Medicalization, and Legalization—each episode blends historical archives, AI-narrated storytelling, and cultural analysis to examine the policies, panics, and power struggles that shaped the modern War on Drugs.
If you’ve ever wondered how a plant went from pharmacy shelf to felony charge—and now to dispensary counter—this is the story.
🔔 Subscrib...
