Denver, April 19, 2021 - “On Something,” the podcast exploring the political, legal and cultural effects of cannabis legalization from Colorado Public Radio, will return for its third season on May 11. The new season is subtitled “Fair Shake: The Pitfalls on the Path to Social Equity” and will use issues around cannabis to explore the importance — and messiness — of social equity measures in the U.S.
“The effort to make legalization an exercise in fairness and inclusion is unprecedented in so many ways,” said Ann Marie Awad, the host of the podcast. “This season is about all the realities and hard lessons learned in the pursuit of a more just future. Anyone who is interested in making the world a better place will be interested in this season — whether they care about cannabis or not.”
As more states continue to legalize recreational cannabis, there are efforts underway to create a fairer world through drug policy. Those efforts come with new possibilities and challenges. Through personal interviews and stories with those on the ground in Colorado, Arkansas, California, Massachusetts and elsewhere, Awad will shed light on the political, cultural, legal and financial impacts of social equity in the cannabis industry. A trailer for the season will hit podcast feeds on the unofficial cannabis holiday, April 20.
In its first two seasons, “On Something” developed a nationwide audience with its stories of life after legalization. Top episodes include “Opioids, Pot and Pain,” about the opioid crisis and its relationship to how we respond to pain, “Neal & Paola: A Love Story,” about the conflict between legalization and immigration laws, “CBD,” “At War with the War on Drugs” and “Cannabis on the Menu.”
“It’s been thrilling to watch ‘On Something’ grow over the past two years,” said Brad Turner, executive producer of CPR’s Audio Innovations Studio. “Listeners from across the country have embraced the show as a way to explore the intimate ways that weed affects our lives.”
With a view from Colorado — the first state to sell recreational cannabis in 2014 — “On Something” tells stories about the people caught up in America’s state-by-state approach to drug policy — stories that detail the unexpected ways that legalization intersects with our healthcare system, our immigration laws and our modern LGBTQ rights movement. “On Something” is thought-provoking, controversial and human. “On Something” is public radio on weed. Season three premieres on May 11.
Ann Marie Awad’s reporting has earned awards from the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists (the Excellence in Podcasts Award for the “On Something” episode “Legal Weed is Gay”), The New York Festivals Radio Awards (a Silver award for “On Something”), the Society of Professional Journalists in 2019 (for cannabis industry coverage) and 2016, as well as the Colorado Broadcasters Association in 2016. She was selected as a 2016 scholar by the New Voices Scholar Association of Independents in Radio (AIR). She also received an Edward R. Murrow Award for Hard News in 2015, as well as awards for Best Feature and Best Sound from the Louisiana AP Broadcasters Association in 2014.
For media kit, interview requests or questions, contact Carrie Horn at [email protected].
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