Peter Maguire and Mike Ritter, "Thai Stick: Surfers, Scammers and the Untold Story of the Marijuana Trade" (Columbia UP, 2013)

Peter Maguire and Mike Ritter, "Thai Stick: Surfers, Scammers and the Untold Story of the Marijuana Trade" (Columbia UP, 2013)

Imagine the sun-soaked beaches of the 1970s, where surfing and smoking pot were inseparable. In this episode, Dr. Peter Maguire joins Marshall Poe to dive into the fascinating world of 'Thai Stick: Surfers, Scammers, and the Untold Story of the Marijuana Trade'. These surfers, driven by a thirst for adventure and the perfect wave, stumbled upon high-quality Afghan hashish and a potent strain of marijuana from Thailand and Laos.

Known as 'Thai Sticks', these sticky buds quickly became the most coveted marijuana in America. But it wasn't just about the high; it was about funding a counter-culture lifestyle. These surfers turned 'scammers' devised clever schemes to smuggle this prized weed into the U.S., from hollowed-out surfboards to massive cargo ships. Dr. Maguire recounts how these operations grew into international conspiracies involving American Vietnam War veterans and the Asian criminal underworld.

The episode offers a rollercoaster of tales, from smuggling escapades to the dark side of drug trafficking. Dr. Maguire also shares his journey of writing the book with co-author Mike Ritter, capturing stories of both triumph and tragedy. Whether you're curious about the history of marijuana or just love a good adventure story, this episode is a wild ride through a bygone era.