In this episode of Dazed and Confused, we trace cannabis policy through the George W. Bush years into the early Obama presidency. Bush expanded federal crackdowns on state medical cannabis programs, even as voters and legislatures pushed reform across the country. Cases like Ed Rosenthal’s prosecution and the Heritage Foundation’s opposition reveal how federal resistance clashed with growing state-level momentum. With Obama’s election, the tone began to change: the Justice Department pulled back from raids, and Washington, D.C. finally implemented its medical program. By the end of Bush’s term, 13 states had legalized medical use — a remarkable transformation in just over a decade. This episode explores the federal-state conflict of the 2000s and the beginnings of a national shift in cannabis policy.

Links Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cpmaynard Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/christianmaynard Title: Bush’s Cannabis Crackdown, Obama’s Shift // Era of Medicalization [6] #CannabisHistory #MarijuanaReform #MedicalMarijuana #WarOnDrugs #BushAdministration