5 Best Pot Podcasts

Pot Podcasts are nothing new, but with the increasing media dominance of Netflix and other on-demand video services, the medium is enjoying a resurgence of popularity. Listeners accustomed to acting as their own private programming directors are seeking out more information about cannabis, which is fueling a renaissance in the world of pot-related on-demand audio content.

After many years of channeling my recreational pot use into little more than eating too many snacks and watching far too much TV, my best friend and I decided we needed a creative outlet. So in 2015, we started a podcast called High Holidaze.

That process may sound pretty casual, but that’s the amazing thing about podcasts — anybody can make one with little more than an idea, a microphone and a wifi connection.

Our audience is practically microscopic, and if you decide to start a podcast yours will be too, at least at the start. But that relatively small audience is part of what makes a podcast uniquely suited to cannabis content. There’s something more intimate and captivating about the listening experience of a podcast that lends itself perfectly to deeper storytelling.

We’re just one in a growing number of cannabis-related podcasts that have popped up on iTunes, Stitcher and other podcast platforms over the last few years. No doubt we’ll see even more in the near future. Maybe your podcast will be on our next list!

In the meantime, here are five of the best podcasts contributing to the growing marijuana media landscape.

The Hash

The Hash is a pot podcast for fans of Radiolab, 99 Percent Invisible, and the like: It hits on all the newsworthy topics but does so with a wonderful attention to sonic detail. Produced by a talented team of seasoned audio storytellers and experienced cannabis journalists that includes former Cannabis Now editor (and current contributor) David Downs, the Hash has detailed the history of dabs, taught listeners about vaping and interviewed George Clinton and the drummer from Blues Traveler, who owns a dispensary, believe it or not.

Max Savage Levenson, one of the show’s producers, said the key to its success is its broad focus and personal lens.

“The Hash aims to shine a light on the full spectrum of cannabis culture circa 2016,” Savage said. “We capture candid conversations with the activists, politicians, business leaders and artists who have put their faith — and often their livelihood — in this amazing plant.”

The Cannabist Show

Led by the Denver Post’s marijuana editor, Ricardo Baca, The Cannabist’s pot podcast walks the fine line between news and humor. Baca will riff off his producers, a la Letterman and Schafer, and then interview Colorado’s chief medical officer, the founder of Leafly or some other cannabis entrepreneur, entertainer, bureaucrat, baker… It’s a great audio complement to their online coverage.

The Russ Belville Show

“Radical” Russ Belville began marijuana podcasting in 2008 when he took over NORML’s Daily Audio Stash.

“Eight years and 1,750-plus episodes later,” he said, “I keep producing my podcast so the tokers in red states can learn from our legalization successes and mistakes, and so the tokers in green states don’t rest on our laurels and forget the suffering of the rest of the country.”

His show on the Cannabis Radio podcast network delves deep into the minutiae of marijuana policy and features plenty of his famous rants.

The Chong and Chong Show

It’s been more than two years since Tommy Chong and his son Paris released an episode of their podcast, but it’s worth digging through their archives. The pair have discussed everything from Justin Bieber to the elder Chong’s fight with cancer. It’s also a neat historical perspective on how much the cannabis industry has changed in just a few short years.

Getting Doug With High

No list of cannabis content is complete without a slot for Doug Benson. The best part of this particular podcast isn’t Benson himself, but the celebrities who get stoned for the sake of his show. It’s mostly comedians (Sarah Silverman, Jack Black, Cheech and Chong), but Peaches and chef Roy Choi appear as well. Bonus: You can also watch the interviews on Benson’s YouTube page if visuals are more your thing.

Originally published in Issue 24 of Cannabis Now. LEARN MORE

TELL US, what is your favorite pot podcast?