How to Do the Pot

293. AIDS, Cannabis & Courage: The Doctor On A Mission, part 2


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Dr. Donald Abrams was a young gay doctor on the front lines of San Francisco’s AIDS crisis in the 1980s. He watched as his partner and many of his close friends died from a disease no one understood. Yet instead of giving up, he fought to bring relief to patients through medical cannabis.

In part two of our Webby Award nominated three-part series, host Ellen Scanlon introduces you to Dr. Abrams, who shares his experience with loss, injustice, and resilience that led him to challenge the federal government, support legendary activists like Brownie Mary, and secure the first U.S. government grant to study cannabis for medical use.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • How the AIDS crisis helped ignite the medical cannabis movement

  • Why San Francisco became ground zero for radical, compassionate care

  • What it took to convince the U.S. government to approve a cannabis study

    This is one of the most powerful stories we’ve ever told. Don’t miss it.


    Hosted by Ellen Scanlon

    Sign up for Ellen’s newsletter on Substack at https://dothepot.substack.com/ or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dothepot.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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    Thanks to our sponsor, 1906.

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    How to Do the PotBy Ellen Scanlon

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