4/20 Origin Story + A High Holiday Manifesto

4/20 Origin Story + A High Holiday Manifesto

Author: David Bienenstock March 11, 2026 Duration: 56:40
Gettin’ lit on 4/20 used to mean something special. And it will again.  So on this episode, to spark that return to glory, we’re going to trace the origin story of our annual high holiday all the way back to its roots, as the singular creation of a small group of stoners on an epic quest way back in 1971.  That’s right, it’s time recount the epic story of the Waldos—but with a twist.  This year we’re not just going to celebrate this unique history, we’re also gonna make a pledge to not let 4/20 become commercialized and meme-ified. Instead we’re gonna get together IRL to kickg it old school, sesh with our herb crews, and reflect on what this plant means tot us, and to the world.  PATREON Please ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday. 

Great Moments in Weed History delves deep into humanity's 10,000+ year relationship with cannabis (a.k.a. marijuana) to explore the humor, heart, and historical importance of the planet's most revered and maligned plant. Hosted by David Bienenstock.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Great Moments in Weed History
Podcast Episodes
Holidaze Special: Trippin' Balls with Santa Claus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:04
Explore St. Nick’s psychedelic shamanic roots in Siberia in the only Christmas Special where Santa gifts you magic mushrooms and even the reindeer get high AF! So hang on to your sleigh bells, because it's time for Abdul…
How "Wooks" Pass the Torch of Weed Wisdom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:42
In an age of corporate cannabis, who keeps authentic weed culture alive? In a time of abundant strains and concentrates, whose tastes define hashish connoisseurship. Wooks, that's who! Named for the Wookies in the Star W…
The Pot Prince of Bel-Air [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:08
Todd McCormick’s weed journey began when his mom handed him a joint on the way home from chemotherapy. As a survivor of pediatric cancer, he later advocated for the plant’s legalization alongside legends of the cannabis…
Freaky Beatniks Smoked Tea and Started the Legalization Movement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:54
Emerging in the conformist 1950s, the Beat subculture pushed back against corporatism and consumerism in favor of a contemplatively nonconformist lifestyle focused on art, poetry, jazz and “kicks.” The small circle of yo…
How Weed Growing Went Global (w/ Jorge Cervantes) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:03
In 1983, an outlaw weed grower pseudonymously published Indoor Marijuana Horticulture, a truly game changing book that sparked a global movement. In the forty years since, "Jorge Cervantes" has traveled the world writing…
From Rope to Dope [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:31
Cannabis activist Ellen Komp has been on the frontlines of the fight to end weed arrests and provide safe access to this incredible medicinal plant for decades. Including as an editor of Jack Herer's groundbreaking book…
Help Save America's Weed-basket! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:25
When a bunch of lawyers and shadowy political operators pushed a ballot initiative in Humboldt County, California that could destroy the legal weed industry in America's most legendary cannabis cultivation region, comedi…
From 'Bong Boy' to Pot Humorist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:25
Whether portraying Bong Boy as part of the Upright Citizens Brigade or taping his solo stand-up special at a weed lounge, comedian Matt Besser never shies away from embracing cannabis culture. In an appropriately stoned…