Tommy Chong has been a lifelong artist. He’s a Musician, an Improv comic, a writer, a movie star, and much more, it is hard to pin Tommy down, he’s an original. Tommy had started an underage music club in his teens and ran a strip club as a young adult. From there are the tales of working for Motown, meeting Mohamed Ali, discovering the Jackson 5, and all of this is before his award winning comedy records with Cheech. This is all prior to "Up In Smoke" being created. Tommy walks us through his legendary career from teen musician to professional actor, writer, and director.

Jorge Cervantes is known as a prolific cannabis author around the world, but his story began in a small rural town on the west coast. It was in this conservative environment he first was exposed to cannabis and it was there he took his first toke. Like many kids raised in the 50’s and 60’s, he was taught many of the common lies about cannabis and having experienced otherwise, the lense through which he viewed things shifted. Jorge Cervantes has authored 50 books and DVDs, in 12 languages and his Marijuana Horticulture handbook is widely known as “the grow bible”. He started by self publishing is work and from there was able to sign with professional printers who could also handle distribution. Although his work had been translated to a dozen languages, there were many countries were his books were banned. That didn’t stop him from shipping his work, but it didn’t always reach the destination.

There were other risks associated with being the author of books detailing the methods of growing this illegal crop. In 1989 Operation Green Merchant swept the nation and these types of materials and those providing them were targeted. Over his many years documenting thousands of grow rooms, Jorge has seen the technology advance from using traditional film to digital cameras. But did you know Jorge Cervantes has published grow books under another name?

What we consider commonplace today, was once cutting edge, and it was Wolf Segal who first wrote about Sea of Green as "Farmer in the Sky" in the pages of Sinsemilla Tips magazine. Later on, he smuggled out the blueprints for the SCROG technique under the watchful eye of the law to be published worldwide. Listen in as he describes the origins of these techniques and other insightful ideas he brought to the cannabis community.

Ed Rosenthal has always used his real name, it isn’t pseudonym that an anonymous author or advocate hides behind. This sort of open defiance is a good example of the steadfast and political nature exhibited by this cannabis royalty. Ed has managed to stay relevant through many waves, bumps, and turns in what is now referred to as the Cannabis Industry. He is an author of over 30 books, spanning four decades, detailing the cultivation of cannabis, cannabis history and also the emerging art of producing concentrates. Even the casual readers of cannabis magazines will remember his “Ask Ed” column in High Times Magazine throughout the 80’s and 90’s. Ed Rosenthal has been an important figure in the advancement of cannabis knowledge and legalization and at the age of 77, he shows no signs or interest of slowing down anytime soon. It was our pleasure in speaking with Ed Rosenthal and highlighting his well deserved place in Dope History.

Sinsemilla Tips was the catalyst for many advancements in the Cannabis growing community. Through Toms’ magazine, a new generation of growers learned about techniques like Sea of Green, Screen of Green, organic nutrients, lighting advancements and many other innovative cultivation practices. Sinsemilla Tips was worth its weight in gold to the growers lucky enough to get their hands on a copy.

Operation Green Merchant was a new approach in the war on drugs. The primary focus of the raids were aimed at licensed business owners who sold indoor growing supplies such as HID lighting, watering systems and other accessories. These raids were conducted under the premise that these products, with legitimate legal uses, were being used to grow illegal Cannabis, making the shop owners just as guilty as the street dealers.

On Oct. 26, 1989, Federal Agents executed Operation Green Merchant with raids on hydroponic stores in 46 states. By nightfall, 119 people had been arrested, over 6,500 cannabis plants destroyed and seven businesses were seized. Tom Alexander was one of those business owners. 

Author Robert Brault once wrote - Charisma is not just saying hello. It’s dropping what you’re doing to say hello”. Frenchy Cannoli was a man with natural charisma. He is also widely celebrated as one of the exceptional hashish makers of our time, Beyond that, Frenchy was a highly passionate person that had a long and intimate relationship with what he would refer to as, the sacred plant. Larger than all of this, Frenchy Cannoli was a husband and a father. Today, Dope History is grateful to be speaking with Madame Cannoli, who is here to reflect on the life and teachings of her beloved husband. She shares her plans for the future and stories from the past, including this next one about how those two came to be a couple.

Frenchy Cannoli was called toward a life of service to the cannabis plant. At an early age, like most people, he felt a pressure upon graduating High School to fit into the mold and live a life which he considered boring and uninspiring. Unlike the majority of people, he took the leap of faith into a world of his own making. Along the journey, he crossed paths with many like-minded individuals and lasting relationships were formed. We’re still not sure which came first Frenchy’s desire to teach or others recognizing the quality of his product and wanting to know how it was done. Regardless, the quality of his hash was his best business card imaginable and his reputation proceeded him from there. Frenchy didn’t let the success consume his commitment to spreading education.

He was a writer, a podcaster, an instructor and creator of a four part video series about hashish production. The gift of his acquired knowledge was not lost on him and he set out to perpetuate the teachings to those willing to listen.

The passing of Frenchy Cannoli on July 18th, 2021 came unexpectedly. Like a steady rain that forms into a river, the outpouring of memories and appreciation from the cannabis world began to stream into his social media channels. Amidst this somber time, unlikely sources from mainstream media reached out to Madame Cannoli for information regarding the life of Frenchy. His natural enthusiasm for the craft of hashish production transcended the boundaries of legal / not legal and this was recognized by outlets that wouldn’t traditionally cover such taboo topics. These actions speak to the legacy that Frenchy created for himself, with the loving support and guidance from his wife, family and friends. Always one to leave a mark, Madame Cannoli tells the tale of his iconic logo and how surprised she was of learning that it is permanently tattoo’d on many admirers of Frenchys’ work.

The life and teachings of Frenchy Cannoli are not gone with his passing. At the request of those close to the Cannolis’, Kim has been maintaining her own Instagram account. Before his passing, Frenchy had requested that she continue his work. This included documentaries, websites, studies about hashish and conducting workshops with his longtime apprentice. The legacy isn’t going away any time soon. There are now hundreds of upper level hash makers in the US and throughout the world who have learned from his courses, have been counseled for years by his wisdom and those who posses a similar drive and passion for the sacred plant. Dope history would like to thank Madame Cannoli for being here to share her positive message and for the remembrance of her loving husband. A man who has paved his own way into Dope History...