Carl Sagan
highly likely
ILLUSTRIOUS COSMOLOGIST
Highly Likely highlights Cannabis pioneers who have paved the way to greater herbal acceptance.
YOU KNOW WHO CARL SAGAN IS, RIGHT? If not, stop reading this now and go read the first three paragraphs about him on Wikipedia. Done? Good, now I don’t have to explain what an amazing human being Carl Sagan was. In fact, for all the “Highly Likelys” I will ever write, he’s absolutely the most important person featured.
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agan was a scientist in every sense of the word, but perhaps more importantly, he was a “science communicator” – a person who possessed the keen ability to interpret high-level scientific concepts to everyday people. His egalitarian principle of scientific thought was aimed at assuring everyone had an opportunity to know and discover the secrets of the universe. These days, Sagan is looked back on as a sort of “Mr. Rogers” of astrophysics, mainly due to his efforts to make the science of the cosmos available to children and others. But the renowned scientist, cosmologist and astronomer was also a daily Cannabis user, and believed that it enhanced his own creative thought process. And what a creative thought process it was! Sagan’s scientific study of extraterrestrial life, his discovery of high surface temperatures on Venus, and his creation of the Voyager Golden Record are still held in high esteem as key American accomplishments in space exploration.
DEC. 2021
Because of Sagan’s very public to Grinspoon. According to author/ persona and because of his activist Tom Angell, Grinspoon association with NASA, he chose is quoted as saying that Sagan (perhaps for good reason) to hide smoked Cannabis almost “every his frequent marijuana use. Instead, day, except when he had to travel.” his wife Ann Druyan took up the The distinguished scientist was cause. She was active in NORML, also critical of the war on drugs, and other reformation-based and in these archives one can organizations would take Sagan’s find a handful of letters written to encouragement to Dr. Arnold Trebach, fight for legalization. head of the Drug The renowned But Carl Sagan Policy Foundation scientist, did find a way to (now the Drug Policy cosmologist and advocate for the astronomer was also Alliance) suggesting benefits of Cannabis counter-arguments a daily Cannabis himself. In 1969, user, and believed to the Reagan Era at the age of 35, Partnership For a Drug that it enhanced Sagan published Free America. There his own creative his own thoughts are some real gems in thought process. on Cannabis under there, such as: “Why the pseudonym “Mr. are drugs, including X.” This essay, which hallucinogenic drugs, was later published inside of Dr. so widely distributed among Lester Grinspoon’s 1971 book the cultures of the Earth and so “Marihuana Reconsidered,” prevalent as sacraments in the outlines Sagan’s thoughts on world’s religions?” the benefits of marijuana and Sagan was a recreational user of his personal use. In an excerpt Cannabis for most of his life, but arguing for legalization, the essay toward the end, he also came to reads: “The illegality of Cannabis appreciate and respect the plant’s is outrageous, an impediment medicinal benefits as well. When to full utilization of a drug which he underwent treatment for cancer, helps produce the serenity and he used it to treat lack of appetite insight, sensitivity and fellowship from chemotherapy. so desperately needed in this Would Carl Sagan have been the increasingly mad and dangerous same scientist without Cannabis? world.” Maybe. It’s highly likely, though, He would continue with frequent he would not have been the same correspondence with Grinspoon, human being without it – and it was and in the newly released Library Sagan’s humanity that made him of Congress exhibit featuring Carl one of the most famous American Sagan’s manuscripts, notebooks, scientists of the 20th century. And papers and correspondence, one in some way, we have this sacred can view hundreds of letters written flower to thank for that!
STORY by PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION
