Eddy Portnoy on Jews and Cannabis

"You know, it's a funny thing,” said President Nixon to his aide, H.R. Haldeman, “every one of the bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana is Jewish. What the Christ is the matter with the Jews." Well, today you'll find out. Eddy Portnoy is the curator of a novel exhibit at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York City entitled “Am Yisrael High.” It explores the role of Jews in all aspects of marijuana: scientific research, legal and illegal commerce, the counterculture, music, politics, and advocacy for and against reform of marijuana laws. References to cannabis in the Bible, the Talmud and other Jewish texts are presented, as is evidence of cannabis at archeological sites dating back to the 3rd century BCE. The idea for the exhibit, Eddy says, first occurred to him when he stumbled across a glass bong in the shape of a menorah.

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