The Sphinx Gate at the 2025 Burning Man Festival.
Jayme Romero
In a previous column, I explored the intrinsic link between cannabis and the creative spark—how the plant can facilitate artistic breakthroughs and inspirations. Now as the legal landscape settles, a second wave of creativity is taking place within the broader culture. The movement is passing the era of artistic protest and entering a period of reclamation, where artists, authors, and filmmakers feel free to tell the community’s stories on their own terms.
MORRISON, COLORADO - APRIL 19: Berner performs at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on April 19, 2026 (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
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Leading the new literary charge is the "billion-dollar blueprint" provided by Cookies founder and CEO, Berner. His book, Becoming Legend, is a true testament to cultural fluency. He proves that authenticity isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a primary competitive advantage for the modern "whale" in a sea of sharks. I was most impressed with his conversational writing style, readers will feel like they’re sitting down with Berner enjoying a smoke.
No roundup of literary drops would be complete without honoring those who paid the steepest price during prohibition. Luke Scarmazzo’s High Price was written from federal prison during a 14-year sentence he served for running a state legal medical dispensary. In addition, William "Billy" Smith’s Flying High with Gringo Billy chronicles the smuggler era with cinematic tension–and shows the impact imprisonment has on marriages and families. Meanwhile, Fab 5 Freddy’s Everybody’s Fly connects the dots between cannabis and the birth of hip-hop, reminding readers that the plant has long been the heartbeat of global pop culture.
The psychedelic educational frontier is being reshaped with excellence by DoubleBlind magazine and their new release, The DoubleBlind Guide to Psychedelics: A Road Map to Tripping, Microdosing, and Beyond. Commissioned by Artisan/Hachette, this comprehensive guidebook provides a no-nonsense, modern framework for both new and experienced psychonauts. It’s a handy book to have around during your next experience—the art direction alone will please your senses.
Please note that psychedelics are controlled substances and not legal in most places in the United States.
Doug Fine appears on the Jay Leno show in 2008 — Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank
NBCUniversal via Getty Images
The screen is where the plant medicine pop culture shift is most visible. The film American Hemp Farmer, now streaming on PBS.org, looks toward the future of climate resilience and regenerative living, moving the conversation from consumerism to agricultural restoration.
Simultaneously, mainstream media is starting to go beyond reality television and elevating the production quality of shows about the plant. This past April 20th, Hulu launched 4x20: Quick Hits, a four-part anthology series executive produced by Jimmy Kimmel. Noting the cultural absurdity of the past, Kimmel stated in a press release, “Christmas has a whole cable channel... For 4/20, we made four 20-minute-long documentaries for those who celebrate with trees of a different kind." One episode even dives into the history of High Times magazine and its founder Tom Forcade, bridging the gap between historical smuggling and modern journalism.
For a deeper dive into the cannabis movement’s roots of legalization and compassion, the documentary Join The Club (2024) revisits the San Francisco AIDS epidemic. The film recently played to a sold-out crowd during the San Francisco Independent Film Festival and may find distribution shortly.
The institutions that once served as underground bulletins are being revitalized. High Times Magazine, under the fresh ownership of RAW Rolling Papers founder Josh Kesselman and former High Times editor Matt Stang, is undergoing a "homecoming." Kesselman is famously committed to the plant, noting his mission is to "protect the culture that protected us for so long" and restore the magazine to its rightful place as a beacon of cannabis culture.
While High Times anchors the history, new voices are expanding the future. DoubleBlind Magazine continues to lead the conversation around psychedelics and mental health, while First Smoke of the Day (FSOTD) has emerged as the preeminent voice in the podcast space. By showcasing the legends and innovators of the industry, FSOTD has become the most culturally impactful audio platform for the modern connoisseur.
Perhaps the most visceral shift in the plant medicine movement is occurring in the immersive art world—a space Burning Man has pioneered for decades. At the 2025 festival, honoraria winner The Sphinx Gate broke new ground by offering a mythic rite of passage that invited participants to unlock the riddles of their own inner lives.
Drawing insights from both the psychedelic experience and the burgeoning movement for “inner hygiene,” the installation demonstrates that deep psychological work doesn’t always have to be heavy. By integrating ritual, community, and a genuine sense of play, the creators made the experience accessible—and even fun—for modern seekers. Watch for “mini” Sphinx experiences currently traveling to festivals and conferences near you.
The creative movement has moved from a time when practitioners were the subject of the story to a time when they are the storytellers. Whether it’s a business blueprint from Berner or a historical retrospective from Jimmy Kimmel, the narrative is now being curated from within. As this post-prohibition world continues to take shape, it’s clear that the most valuable thing ever grown wasn't the plant—it was the culture.
Disclosure: The author is a producer of the film ‘American Hemp Farmer.’
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