meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Great Moments in Weed History

Weed History in the Middle East

Great Moments in Weed History

David Bienenstock

Tv & Film, History, Comedy

4.8669 Ratings

🗓️ 11 September 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

From ancient traditions to the evolution of modern cannabis culture in Morocco, India, Egypt, Nepal, and other traditional hashish regions, get ready for a fascinating time getting high on history with Dr. Maziyar Ghiabr, Director for the Centre of Persian And Iranian Studies at the University of Exeter’s Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies.  Maziyar is also the author of a fascinating new book called We Smoke Flowers: On Being High in Postrevolutionary Iran that traces the custom's roots to a pre-Islamic faith called Zoroastrianism, and explores its flowering in modern day Iran.   PATREON Please ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠support Great Moments in Weed HIstory on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Supporters get exclusive access to video versions of this podcast and private seshes, plus cool rewards like a signed book. And it truly helps us make the best show possible. EPISODE ARCHIVE Visit our podcast feed for 150+ episodes of Great Moments in Weed History, and subscribe now to get a new weekly podcast every Weednesday.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

I'm looking on everything.

0:05.0

I'm going to, welcome to an all-new, great moments in weed history.

0:25.5

Typically, I record these introductions a few days in advance of beaming the podcast out to all of you.

0:32.4

But right now, I'm kind of chasing my tail and actually recording this on Weedness Day morning takes me back

0:39.9

to my days of scrolling out my homework on the bus ride to school. So here's my excuse, which

0:46.7

has not been signed by a parent or guardian. Somehow, after working my three-week seasonal gig at Burning Man, I ended up feeling

0:56.2

really fatigued, you know, in a good way, and then I came home to a cascade of overlapping

1:03.0

deadlines on a very exciting new project that, unfortunately, I can't quite tell you about

1:09.7

just yet. But soon, I hope I can, and for now, I just want quite tell you about just yet but soon I hope I can and for

1:13.5

now I just want to let you know that it's a really cool opportunity to tell some of

1:19.0

my favorite weed history stories in a new way that will hopefully reach a lot

1:25.0

of people and none of this would be happening if it wasn't for this show.

1:30.7

So I'm very grateful to all of you listeners and especially everyone who supports the podcast on

1:37.1

Patreon for keeping me going into the eighth year of great moments in weed history.

1:44.3

Thank you. Thank history. Thank you.

1:44.9

Thank you.

1:46.0

Thank you.

1:46.9

As for Burning Man, as long time listeners might remember, two years ago, my humble

1:52.2

little tent became Lakefront property in the great desert deluge of Mudman.

1:58.1

And then last year, I got COVID on the first night of the actual event.

2:04.0

So what new calamity befell me this time?

2:08.2

I'm happy to say it was actually an entirely calamity-free experience, at least for yours truly.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from David Bienenstock, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of David Bienenstock and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.