The Ballad of High Times Magazine

# Stuff You Should Know - High Times Magazine

This episode dives into the fascinating history of High Times Magazine, from its unlikely founding by Thomas King Forsad, a former drug smuggler and counterculture activist, to its rise as one of the most influential publications in American history. Josh, Chuck, and Jerry trace how a magazine born from a nitrous oxide-fueled idea in 1974 became a cultural phenomenon that helped shift public opinion on marijuana legalization, survived multiple DEA crackdowns, and ultimately changed the conversation around cannabis from taboo to mainstream. Along the way, they explore the wild early days of the magazine's office culture, legendary cover stories featuring everyone from Bob Marley to the Dalai Lama, and how hip hop helped save the publication during its financial troubles in the nineties.