Episode 9: Tommy Chong

Tommy Chong has been a lifelong artist. He’s a Musician, an Improv comic, a writer, a movie star, and much more, it is hard to pin Tommy down, he’s an original. Tommy had started an underage music club in his teens and ran a strip club as a young adult. From there are the tales of working for Motown, meeting Mohamed Ali, discovering the Jackson 5, and all of this is before his award winning comedy records with Cheech. This is all prior to "Up In Smoke" being created. Tommy walks us through his legendary career from teen musician to professional actor, writer, and director.

Jorge Cervantes is known as a prolific cannabis author around the world, but his story began in a small rural town on the west coast. It was in this conservative environment he first was exposed to cannabis and it was there he took his first toke. Like many kids raised in the 50’s and 60’s, he was taught many of the common lies about cannabis and having experienced otherwise, the lense through which he viewed things shifted. Jorge Cervantes has authored 50 books and DVDs, in 12 languages and his Marijuana Horticulture handbook is widely known as “the grow bible”. He started by self publishing is work and from there was able to sign with professional printers who could also handle distribution. Although his work had been translated to a dozen languages, there were many countries were his books were banned. That didn’t stop him from shipping his work, but it didn’t always reach the destination.There were other risks associated with being the author of books detailing the methods of growing this illegal crop. In 1989 Operation Green Merchant swept the nation and these types of materials and those providing them were targeted. Over his many years documenting thousands of grow rooms, Jorge has seen the technology advance from using traditional film to digital cameras. But did you know Jorge Cervantes has published grow books under another name?

What we consider commonplace today, was once cutting edge, and it was Wolf Segal who first wrote about Sea of Green as "Farmer in the Sky" in the pages of Sinsemilla Tips magazine. Later on, he smuggled out the blueprints for the SCROG technique under the watchful eye of the law to be published worldwide. Listen in as he describes the origins of these techniques and other insightful ideas he brought to the cannabis community.

Ed Rosenthal has always used his real name, it isn’t pseudonym that an anonymous author or advocate hides behind. This sort of open defiance is a good example of the steadfast and political nature exhibited by this cannabis royalty. Ed has managed to stay relevant through many waves, bumps, and turns in what is now referred to as the Cannabis Industry. He is an author of over 30 books, spanning four decades, detailing the cultivation of cannabis, cannabis history and also the emerging art of producing concentrates. Even the casual readers of cannabis magazines will remember his “Ask Ed” column in High Times Magazine throughout the 80’s and 90’s. Ed Rosenthal has been an important figure in the advancement of cannabis knowledge and legalization and at the age of 77, he shows no signs or interest of slowing down anytime soon. It was our pleasure in speaking with Ed Rosenthal and highlighting his well deserved place in Dope History.

Sinsemilla Tips was the catalyst for many advancements in the Cannabis growing community. Through Toms’ magazine, a new generation of growers learned about techniques like Sea of Green, Screen of Green, organic nutrients, lighting advancements and many other innovative cultivation practices. Sinsemilla Tips was worth its weight in gold to the growers lucky enough to get their hands on a copy.Operation Green Merchant was a new approach in the war on drugs. The primary focus of the raids were aimed at licensed business owners who sold indoor growing supplies such as HID lighting, watering systems and other accessories. These raids were conducted under the premise that these products, with legitimate legal uses, were being used to grow illegal Cannabis, making the shop owners just as guilty as the street dealers.On Oct. 26, 1989, Federal Agents executed Operation Green Merchant with raids on hydroponic stores in 46 states. By nightfall, 119 people had been arrested, over 6,500 cannabis plants destroyed and seven businesses were seized. Tom Alexander was one of those business owners. 

In the fast paced culture of the current cannabis industry, not many people have earned the “O.G.” moniker, but O.G. Eddy Lepp is an originator, not a “Johnny come lately”. Eddy Lepp served as an inspiration for many, he was a man filled with compassion and blessed with the gift of gardening. Unselfishly, this pioneer took the risks of acting and speaking publicly in a time when few others were willing to do the same. Unfortunately, he also paid dearly for his activism, with nearly 10 years behind prison bars. Eddy held a deep seated belief in the power of the plant, not only as a medicine, but also as a guide. Those personal truths drove almost every decision in Eddys’ adult life. Without doubt or argument, there exists 1,000s of people who were positively impacted by this legend of Cannabis. Dope history is proud to share his story.It all started as wanting to see people happier and healthier, at the journeys height, it was a farm with over 32,000 cannabis plants dedicated to licensed medicinal patients. In-between these two points, came a bust in 1997, which in the subsequent court proceedings saw Eddy Lepp become the first California resident acquitted under their medical cannabis program, Prop 215. As his wife Linda’s health improved, the two activists were connected with the first doctor to write medical prescriptions in California, Dr. Tod Mikuriya. Together they ushered in over 30,000 patients to the legal medical system. In 2000 Eddy Lepp founded the Ministry of Cannabis and Rastafari, which fit his ideals of “living life in purity and truth”. At the time that this adventure reached its apex, the DEA were on their way to arrest Eddy once again. This time, it would lead to a 10 year prison sentence.Throughout Eddys’ journey, his paths crossed and often merged with celebrities, elite minds and major players in the cannabis legalization movement. After his release from prison in 2016, he was an in-demand cannabis celebrity in the minds of many, serving as a face symbolizing the legalization movement. Attending many of the events and festivals as a guest speaker, he was frequently meeting high profile musicians and even budding cannabis entrepreneurs like Mike Tyson. Yet, before there was a legal industry to speak of, he was paving the way with other pioneers of the cannabis movement, Jack Herer, Brownie Mary, Ed Rosenthal, Pebbles Trippet, and the major force behind Californias’ Prop 215, Dennis Peron. The relationship between Dennis and Eddy reached deep into the California legalization movement and it possibly may never have been the same there if those two did not meet. Eddy was humble about his contributions, downplaying his significance, but at the same time, conscience of the advancements being made.Religion is a subject Eddy had pondered over since he was a child, eventually becoming a practicing Rastafarian and Minister of the Rastafarian faith. This was not some scheme to grow Cannabis under the guise of religious freedom, it was a genuine destination on a road of exploration and discovery. Faith played an important and influential role in his life and was an integral component that delivered him from depression and hard drug use after he returned from the Vietnam War. In 2002 Eddy founded the multi-denominational Ministry of Cannabis and Rastafari. Recognized at the Supreme Court level as a religion which enjoys certain protections under the law, this was not factored into his trail for the 2004 arrest and sentencing. In 2017 after his release, along with his wife Heidi Grossman, he founded a new church, the Sugarleaf Church of Rastafarian and Cannabis Love.Eddy was a fighter, he wasn’t a person that readily accepted the stoner stereotype. He had seen the medicinal benefits through various people that were in his life. Conversely, he also understood the commercial potential of hemp derived products. On his journey, he was surrounded by fellow cannabis warriors and as they slowly succumbed to illness over the years, Eddy ensured them that he would continue to carry the torch forward. It wasn’t until later in life that Eddy was reminded by a fellow grower that the majority of the genetics raised and created in his gardens, served as the backbone for much of the fire genetics we have today. In 2017, OG Eddy Lepp received the Lifetime Achievement Award from High Times Magazine, which was a fitting gesture and another accolade to the legend.Eddy Lepp passed away August 16th, 2021 almost a year after his October 2020 Cancer diagnosis. In 2020 Eddy had started his own YouTube page, which remains up today. It featured his friends and legends, but also gave us a closer look into the passion and the life of a man who created so much opportunity for us all. Dope History was fortunate to have the opportunity to record this interview and the experience is one that will not be forgotten. Eddy Lepp was gracious with his time, he was an open book and allowed us all to share important, personal moments of his journey. A rockstar to some, a hero to many, and a savior to tens-of-thousands, OG Eddy Lepp will always be remembered as a legend on Cannabis. I think if there was one thing he would of liked me to say here, it would be - Keep the message alive.

Keith Stroup is an indispensable figure in the fight for legal cannabis. Some activists grew massive fields of cannabis in protest and others spoke with open disdain for the system. Keith used his most effective weapons, his intellect and beliefs, to effectively change the minds of the voting public and our elected officials. He was a late comer to cannabis, but in that moment Keith discovered a profound love of the plant and instinctually recognized that the stories told to the masses about cannabis and the associated dangers, just weren’t true. Keith Stroup is the founder of NORML, which to any cannabis advocate, is a household name and is often regarded as the most influential organization in the fight for cannabis legalization. Keith Stroup and NORML have been at the forefront of pushing legislative change for over 50 years. It is with great honor that we get to share his Dope History.The late 60’s were an interesting time in American history, we were at war overseas and our conscience was divided at home. At this time, the Draft for military service was in place and many eligible males were being selected for service. Keith Stroup was one of these young gentleman selected to receive combat training and experience but the idea was unappealing to him. With hindsight, we are able to pinpoint this as the moment the gears of legalization started turning in the head of Keith Stroup. It was in this era that he formed his fascination with Public Interest law, an area of law that he was only vaguely familiar with at the time. There was a recognition and connection by Keith of the “war on drugs” and the many people caught up in the legal system due to minor cannabis offenses. Like any great leader, Keith wanted better for the public and he embarked on the journey to do so.Starting a new business or lobbying group is usually not an easy task. To reach the hearts and minds of people across this nation, you need a budget to do that with. Now, imagine trying to start an advocacy group for an illegal plant that has been demonized by the controlling parties for decades. Not so easy. Today, cannabis is still a taboo subject at many dinner tables in this country, imagine broaching the subject when public acceptance was below 15% compared to the nearly 80% we enjoy currently. When you are dealing with taboo subjects, sometimes you need to reach out to taboo sources for start-up and backing money. I suspect you will be surprised when learning where NORML received its initial funding. Equally surprising is the advice Keith had received about accepting this funding from former Attorney General Ramsey Clarke.Over the years there have been dozens of federally funded institutions creating biased researched about cannabis. A wide range of government agencies and policy makers have used these findings as justifications for their rigid positions and enforcement strategies. As the years have progressed, so have the opinions regarding cannabis in the hallways and offices of decision makers across this land. The perceptions of Reefer Madness have slowly given way to reason, research, and for an ever increasing number of Americans, first-hand experience. This was all in the grand plan for Keith Stroup and NORML. In 1978, eight years after NORML was founded, eleven states had decriminalized cannabis and there was a feeling that all signs pointed towards full legalization. However the mood of the nation changed, a lesson we should still keep in mind today.Keeping true to form as a longtime consumer advocate, a large desire of Keiths’ for the legal market would be to see better safety and quality control standards of products available to the public. As is, each state has unique laws regarding testing requirements, labelling requirements, approved and banned pesticides, as well as handling and packaging protocols. A unified framework and testing methodology is one of the many goals Keith and NORML strive for. Over the decades, there have been many government agencies tasked with the responsibility of watching over cannabis, but only as an illegal substance and where the primary focus was determent and eradication. NORML and the cannabis legalization movement have gained an incredible amount of ground over the years, but the fight is far from over for Keith and others. There is an opinion amongst many policy advocates that cannabis monopolies are just as dangerous for personal cannabis freedoms as bad laws have been.Keith Stroup is one of the great intellectuals within the cannabis legalization movement and he has been able to use this gift to work on changing the system from within the legal framework. He has enjoyed a successful career serving NORML as the Founder and Executive Director, but also in the role which he currently holds, as Legal Counsel. Along the journey he has served as a lobbyist for American farmers, was a founding partner in a legal defense firm representing people charged with drug related crimes, and later he worked for a firm defending non-violent related drug offenses.Keith didn’t partake in cannabis until he was past his teens years, but that experience made an impact on him and he has been a life long cannabis enthusiast and advocate every day of his life since. The impact that Keith and NORML have made on the everyday life of cannabis enthusiasts in the United States is undeniable. It comes as no surprise Keith was awarded the 2012 High Times Lifetime Achievement Award. His contributions have been many and even today, the fight continues, Keith meets that challenge head-on, just one of many reasons Keith Stroup belongs in the corridors of Dope History. 

Author Robert Brault once wrote - Charisma is not just saying hello. It’s dropping what you’re doing to say hello”. Frenchy Cannoli was a man with natural charisma. He is also widely celebrated as one of the exceptional hashish makers of our time, Beyond that, Frenchy was a highly passionate person that had a long and intimate relationship with what he would refer to as, the sacred plant. Larger than all of this, Frenchy Cannoli was a husband and a father. Today, Dope History is grateful to be speaking with Madame Cannoli, who is here to reflect on the life and teachings of her beloved husband. She shares her plans for the future and stories from the past, including this next one about how those two came to be a couple.Frenchy Cannoli was called toward a life of service to the cannabis plant. At an early age, like most people, he felt a pressure upon graduating High School to fit into the mold and live a life which he considered boring and uninspiring. Unlike the majority of people, he took the leap of faith into a world of his own making. Along the journey, he crossed paths with many like-minded individuals and lasting relationships were formed. We’re still not sure which came first Frenchy’s desire to teach or others recognizing the quality of his product and wanting to know how it was done. Regardless, the quality of his hash was his best business card imaginable and his reputation proceeded him from there. Frenchy didn’t let the success consume his commitment to spreading education.He was a writer, a podcaster, an instructor and creator of a four part video series about hashish production. The gift of his acquired knowledge was not lost on him and he set out to perpetuate the teachings to those willing to listen.The passing of Frenchy Cannoli on July 18th, 2021 came unexpectedly. Like a steady rain that forms into a river, the outpouring of memories and appreciation from the cannabis world began to stream into his social media channels. Amidst this somber time, unlikely sources from mainstream media reached out to Madame Cannoli for information regarding the life of Frenchy. His natural enthusiasm for the craft of hashish production transcended the boundaries of legal / not legal and this was recognized by outlets that wouldn’t traditionally cover such taboo topics. These actions speak to the legacy that Frenchy created for himself, with the loving support and guidance from his wife, family and friends. Always one to leave a mark, Madame Cannoli tells the tale of his iconic logo and how surprised she was of learning that it is permanently tattoo’d on many admirers of Frenchys’ work.The life and teachings of Frenchy Cannoli are not gone with his passing. At the request of those close to the Cannolis’, Kim has been maintaining her own Instagram account. Before his passing, Frenchy had requested that she continue his work. This included documentaries, websites, studies about hashish and conducting workshops with his longtime apprentice. The legacy isn’t going away any time soon. There are now hundreds of upper level hash makers in the US and throughout the world who have learned from his courses, have been counseled for years by his wisdom and those who posses a similar drive and passion for the sacred plant. Dope history would like to thank Madame Cannoli for being here to share her positive message and for the remembrance of her loving husband. A man who has paved his own way into Dope History...

Hi my name is Tad Hussey. And I’m Chad Westport. Welcome to Dope History. Cannabis has been cultivated since the beginnings of civilization, as humans have sought for altered consciousness and spiritual connections beyond that of their daily existence. Everyone has a story when it comes to their experience with cannabis and our vision was to preserve and share these stories in a way that allows listeners to better understand the profound impact this plant has had on our lives. Dope History weaves you through the lives of those who have been touched by cannabis or have had an influence on the events that shaped our laws or relationship with this plant. Dope History offers a unique perspective, where you can hear the stories directly from the mouths of those who experienced them, from social defiance all the way through to social acceptance. In these interviews, there’s stories of passion and lifelong dedication, but also stories of stumbling into unexpected situations that have completely changed the direction of people’s lives. There’s good and bad, funny and sad, and everything in between. My hope is that some of these names may be familiar, but many more will be new to you. In the process of getting to know these people, you may learn a little more about the history and also gain a little more appreciation for the cultivation, art, and the deep struggles that folks went through to gain legitimacy and legal access to this plant. Here at Dope History we are not striving to share facts and figures and be historically accurate. Instead the goal is to let the speaker share their perspective of the events of their life as they experienced it, from their own point of view. This isn’t a podcast for cultivation or politics or even activism. This podcast is just about sharing some incredible life histories and hopefully some fun stories so sit back and enjoy!You can find us at Dopehistory.com, on instagram and facebook at DopeHistoryPodcast, and on Patreon at Dope History for additional content and ways to support the podcast. And for those of you that are interested, I thought I’d include a bit more about how this podcast came to be. Tad owns KIS Organics, which is an online retailer of organic amendments and living soils with a science-based approach to cultivation. I’m also a partner in Kaizen Consulting with Nate Gibbs of Goldleaf Gardens and Dr. Ben Higgins. I currently have a podcast called Cannabis Cultivation and Science, which has had over 1.4 million downloads at the time of recording. Through the podcast I met Nelson Lindsley of Poetry of Plants. Nelson is a cannabis consultant based out of California and through our correspondences we became good friends. The idea of Dope History came from one of many phone calls and how someone needed to preserve the narratives of all the folks who came before us that allowed for cannabis to gain legitimacy. Chad's journey with the cannabis plant began decades ago. Since legalization, I have worked to educate new growers through a variety of channels, and I was excited to become involved with the Dope History Podcast. Currently, I am a staff writer for Sensi Seeds in Amsterdam. I create content for my Chad Westport channel, also the Future Cannabis Project channel, and now for Dope History. My daily life involves talking with scientists, authors, cannabis breeders, and award winning growers. These candid conversations are always enjoyable for me and I’m happy that we are able to capture them through this podcast for you.Our first season includes 2 posthumous guests, emphasizing the importance of capturing these stories. We have Tom Alexander, Eddy Lepp, Keith Stroup, Ed Rosenthol, Wolf Segal, Jorge Cervantes, Tommy Chong and Madame Cannoli sharing Frenchy Cannoli’s life story. Our 2nd Season is going to feature breeders like Mr. Soul, MeanGene, and many others. We’ve already started recording other exciting guests for future seasons too.The final piece of our team is our sound engineer, Chris Degasse. Chris contributes years of professional audio experience and he is the reason why each episode sounds fantastic. We are so excited to share Dope History and we look forward to an incredible journey! Thank you for listening.