246. AIDS & Cannabis: How Love and Perseverance Paved the Way for Legalization

246. AIDS & Cannabis: How Love and Perseverance Paved the Way for Legalization

Author: Ellen Scanlon June 18, 2024 Duration: 38:28
In this powerful kickoff to our Pride series, join us as we honor the resilience and love of San Francisco’s gay community during the 1980s AIDS crisis. Meet Meridy Volz, the woman behind Sticky Fingers Brownies, and her daughter Alia Volz, who witnessed the transformative power of compassion and community from a young age. Discover how delivering cannabis brownies to AIDS patients provided relief and hope, and learn about the pivotal role this played in sparking a national legalization movement for medical cannabis. Celebrate Pride with us and hear these remarkable stories of courage, advocacy, and the enduring fight for compassionate use legislation that led California to become the first state to legalize medical cannabis in 1996. “I’d be on the playground and people would be using homophobic epithets and associating queerness with weakness. And so I was like, oh no, that's strength, that's real power. Real strength is to be who you are, whether or not it's acceptable to other people, that's balls. It really did shape how I understand strength and how I see the world, in very fundamental ways and I feel fortunate to have grown up in the community that I did, even in dark times.” - Alia Volz If you enjoyed this episode, we’d recommend Episode 245 Marijuana Minister: Celebrating Pride With Stereotypes Podcast. SHOW NOTES: Kiva Confections 20% off with code DOTHEPOT Home Baked: My Mom, Marijuana and the Stoning of San Francisco Hosted by Ellen Lee Scanlon Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dothepot.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us: IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@dothepot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FB: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@dothepot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@dothepot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How to Do the Pot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@dothepot⁠⁠⁠

Ellen Scanlon’s How to Do the Pot is an award-winning conversation that demystifies cannabis with a focus on women’s experiences. This isn’t a technical manual or a dry lecture; it’s a space where curiosity meets practical, joyful advice. The podcast explores how cannabis can intersect with health, well-being, and daily life, tackling questions that often go unasked. You’ll hear specific discussions about finding the right strain for relaxation or intimacy, using CBD for menstrual discomfort, and the nuanced differences between varieties like Harlequin and Gelato. There’s a deliberate and thoughtful choice in language here, too, favoring the term “cannabis” over other outdated labels. At its heart, the series amplifies personal stories and expert insights, creating a resource that feels both informative and deeply relatable. Whether you’re seeking relief, exploring for fun, or just want to understand the landscape better, this podcast provides a welcoming and smart guide through the often overwhelming world of cannabis, all from a perspective that is genuinely for women and by women.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

How to Do the Pot
Podcast Episodes
313. Why I’m Pausing the Podcast — and What’s Next [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:50
After six years and more than 300 episodes, host Ellen Scanlon is pausing How to Do the Pot. In this special episode, she shares why — and what’s ahead. Ellen breaks down what’s shifting in cannabis and podcasting, from…
310. Alcohol vs. Cannabis Drinks: 3 Things Women Need to Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:37
Curious about trying a cannabis drink instead of reaching for alcohol? This episode of How to Do the Pot is your quick, no-stress guide. Host Ellen Scanlon shares what she’s learned from being soberish and counts down th…
309. Pain Relief That Lets You Move Again [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:48
Are you or someone you love looking for safer ways to ease pain—especially the kind that keeps you from moving or exercising? In this episode, host Ellen Scanlon talks with Anna Symonds, a former elite rugby player who f…
306. Practical Tips from Cannabis Experts on Exercise & Recovery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:52
What if cannabis could really help you enjoy working out? In this episode, host Ellen Scanlon talks with women who know cannabis inside and out — and use that expertise to improve their workouts, recover faster, and make…
304. Can Cannabis Make Exercise Easier? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:10
Can cannabis actually make exercise easier? In this episode, host Ellen Scanlon is joined by journalist Hilary Achauer, who explored that very question in The New York Times. What she found challenges stereotypes and rev…