Podcast: the dialectics of cannabis liberation

Text

[8]In Episode 24 [9] of the CounterVortex podcast [10], Bill Weinberg notes the historic strides toward liberation of the cannabis plant [11] in 2018, from the four corners of the Earth. Yet under capitalism, every advance also opens new contradictions. With the rise of "corporate cannabis [12]," traditional small growers in places like California's Emerald Triangle stand to be pushed off the market as Central Valley agribusiness gets in on the act. Burdensome regulations and heavy taxation have kept some growers on the black market—and big police raids [13] in the Emerald Triangle have continued even after "legalization." High taxes on cannabis have also actually closed the legal space for California's "compassionate care [14]" providers—those who make free or discounted medical marijuana available to the ailing. There are concerns about the corporate privatization [15] of ancient cannabis landraces long grown by small cultivators around the world. Meanwhile, even as overall cannabis arrests have dropped under more tolerant laws and enforcement policies in many states and localities, the racial disparity [16] in those arrests that continue (e.g. for public use) is unabated. In a positive development, California has passed a "cannabis equity [17]" law to address such concerns. But even the federal Farm Bill that just legalized industrial hemp [18] and cannabinoids derived from it irrationally keeps cannabinoids derived from "marijuana" (high-THC strains) illegal. Weinberg calls for challenging the "marijuana" stigma, recognizing that cannabis liberation is an urgent question of human rights and racial justice, and adopting a stance of permanent struggle in fighting for it. Listen on SoundCloud [9], [9] and support our podcast via Patreon [19]. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons [20])

Marijuana.jpg [21]

In Episode 24 [9] of the CounterVortex podcast [10], Bill Weinberg notes the historic strides toward liberation of the cannabis plant [11] in 2018, from the fabled four corners of the Earth. Yet under capitalism, every advance also opens new contradictions. With the rise of "corporate cannabis [12]," traditional small growers in places like California [22]'s Emerald Triangle [23] stand to be pushed off the market as Central Valley [24] agribusiness gets in on the act. Burdensome regulations and heavy taxation have kept some growers on the black market—and big police raids [13] in the Emerald Triangle have continued even after "legalization." High taxes on cannabis have also actually closed the legal space for California's "compassionate care [14]" providers—those who make free or discounted medical marijuana available to the ailing. There are concerns about corporate privatization [15] of ancient cannabis landraces long grown by small cultivators around the world. Meanwhile, even as overall cannabis arrests have dropped under more tolerant laws and enforcement policies in many states and localities, the racial disparity [16] in those arrests that continue (e.g. for public use) is unabated. In a positive development, California has passed a "cannabis equity [17]" law to address such concerns. But even the federal Farm Bill that just legalized industrial hemp [18] and cannabinoids derived from it irrationally keeps cannabinoids derived from "marijuana" (high-THC strains) illegal. Weinberg calls for challenging the "marijuana" stigma, recognizing that cannabis liberation is an urgent question of human rights and racial justice, and adopting a stance of permanent struggle [25] in fighting for it. Listen on SoundCloud [9], [9] and support our podcast via Patreon [19].

Music: La Cucaracha [26], performed by Bill Weinberg [27]

Production by Chris Rywalt [28]

We ask listeners to donate just $1 per episode via Patreon [19]. A total of $30 per episode would cover our costs for engineering and producing. We are currently up to $13.

New episodes are produced every two weeks.

We need your support [29].