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
303. Edge-of-Your-Seat Movie Nights: Scary, Horror & Action Picks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:48
What makes the ultimate scary or action-packed movie night? In Part 3 of How to Do the Pot’s Summer Movie Nights series, host Ellen Scanlon is joined by Sophia Wronsky, writer of the popular Substack Sophia is Voracious,…
301. Laughs, Friends, & Movie Nights: The Perfect Summer Combo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:04
What makes the perfect summer movie night? In part 1 of How to Do the Pot's Summer Movie Nights series, host Ellen Scanlon sits down with Sophia Wronsky, writer of the popular Substack Sophia is Voracious and an enthusia…
297. How to Host with Weed: Summer Parties with Jamie Evans, part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:24
Curious about how cannabis drinks are reshaping the way women host parties? In part 1 of host Ellen Scanlon’s conversation with Jamie Evans—founder of The Herb Somm and a certified sommelier—we explore why low-dose THC b…
295. Fireworks, Friends & a Little Gelato: A Feel-Good Summer Favorite [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:06
Looking for the perfect cannabis strain to sweeten your summer? We’ve added Gelato to our Essential Strains series—a curated list designed to help women skip the overwhelm and discover strains you’ll really love. Host El…
294. Why Women Still Don’t Know They’re at Risk for HIV, part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:36
In the final episode of our Webby-nominated series Before Legal Weed: The Untold Story of AIDS & Cannabis, host Ellen Scanlon explores why so many women—especially Black women—are still left out of conversations about HI…