Celebrate Pride

The Untold Story That Made Legal Weed Possible

Episode 291

Show Notes

History of Legal Cannabis

Before any U.S. state legalized cannabis—before it was even officially called medicine—people in San Francisco were baking it into brownies and delivering it in secret to those dying of AIDS. This Pride Month, host Ellen Scanlon shares Before Legal Weed: The Untold Story of AIDS & Cannabis, a powerful, Webby-nominated, three-part series about the people who risked everything to help their community survive—and changed history in the process.

In this series, you’ll learn:

  • Why cannabis became a lifeline for people with AIDS in 1980s San Francisco
  • How one tight-knit community organized in the face of government inaction
  • The emotional and political origins of today’s legal cannabis movement

Why this forgotten history matters—especially during Pride Month.


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  1. The Untold Story That Made Legal Weed Possible

[00:00:08] Before any US state legalized cannabis, before it was officially recognized as medicine, it was baked into brownies and shared in secret to bring relief to people dying of AIDS in San Francisco. This pride month. Listen to how to do the pods. Powerful webby nominated series before legal weed. The untold story of AIDS and cannabis, a three part story about love loss and a community that changed history.

[00:00:41] You’ll hear from the people who lived it. There was a black cloud over the city. People were shutting down socially. The business was booming because they were so needed. I just felt like I can be of some help. I mean, how [00:01:00] could you not? This was my community and I really felt like I was on a mission.

[00:01:09] Cannabis might seem mainstream now, yet the story of how we got here is one most people have never heard, and it started where I live in San Francisco in the 1980s. This was a small city with one of the largest gay communities in the country. When the AIDS crisis hit, it hit really. Fast people were dying and the government was silent, so the community stepped up.

[00:01:37] Fierce, relentless advocates turned to cannabis because they knew it worked, and they fought to bring relief to the people they loved. This story has everything, heart, grit, and the kind of courage that changed the course of history. I’m proud to share it with you and grateful to the Web Awards for recognizing it.

[00:01:59] [00:02:00] Tune in to before Legal Weed next week and celebrate Pride by learning about the people that help make legal cannabis possible.

 

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Join the 10,000+ people who are finding better sleep, better sex, and less stress with a little help from cannabis.

We cover legal weed

So you must be legal, too. Age 21+ invited to continue.

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