A former guest of Joe Rogan’s podcast has ignited debate across social media after declaring that weed represents “a weapon of mass destruction” for American society. The provocative statement from political commentator Saagar Enjeti has made the issue of legalization public.
Enjeti’s comments arrived alongside data: approximately 18 million Americans now use weed almost daily, representing a dramatic increase from 6 million in 2012 and under 1 million in 1992. More Americans currently use the plant daily than those who consume the same amount of its legal counterpart, raising questions about the trajectory of public health.
The statement has drawn responses from neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, who has explored the topic extensively on his podcast.
“I tried years ago to share the data on psychosis, but was accused of misinformation,” Huberman wrote on social media. “A recent expert clinician on the HLP confirmed that it’s even more of an issue now. One thing is for sure: you don’t want your kids using can**bis.”
Huberman’s position reflects a careful middle ground. “Some can use ca**abis in low amounts no issue, for others it’s a psychosis-inducing and/or motivation degrader,” he explained in another post.
When asked whether effects depend on the person, Huberman clarified: “I’m saying it’s impossible to know how it will affect you and it’s probably best to avoid.”
The debate has revealed surprising contradictions even within the podcast world. Former UFC competitor Brendan Schaub recently voiced strong opposition to legalization despite reportedly earning over $300,000 from THC-related sponsorships and securing another such partnership.
“The idea that this can be less dangerous and help people out, it couldn’t be more wrong,” Schaub stated during a recent podcast appearance. While acknowledging that ca**abis offers certain benefits, particularly regarding inflammation, he argued that broader societal acceptance remains problematic.
Schaub painted a picture of typical users becoming sedentary and unfocused. “You’re going to smoke and sit on your couch and be not productive and scroll Twitter,” he argued.
He used Rogan himself as an example of an exceptional case. “Rogan’s an outlier. He can do it and still be super hyper productive,” Schaub explained, noting that Rogan was already highly driven before incorporating weed into his routine at age 35. “You’re not Joe Rogan, right? Most of us aren’t.”
The former heavyweight advocated for physical exercise as an alternative. “If you just put your tennis shoes on and go for a run, and if you can get the same euphoric feeling, you can get the same endorphins,” Schaub suggested.
Additionally, Rogan recently gave his stance on cannabis policy on the growing debate around legalization and public health. In a recent podcast episode with attorney Josh Dubin, he reacted to weed’s reclassification to Schedule III, calling it “better” but insisting it still doesn’t go far enough.
Rogan argued that weed should ultimately be treated more like al**ohol. It should be legal for adults but approached with clear boundaries and awareness of risk. He also stressed that m***uana isn’t for everyone, especially those with vulnerable mental health conditions, and pointed to concerns around high-dose THC and psychosis.
Rogan also supported a harm-reduction approach inspired by countries like Portugal, suggesting that regulation and education may be more effective than prohibition in reducing abuse, crime, and unsafe drug contamination.
Bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates, the six-time Mr. Olympia winner, has become an outspoken advocate for reconsidering ca**abis research. During his appearance with Huberman, Yates presented findings from a 25-year study conducted at UCLA by Dr. Donald Tashkin.
“In the ca**abis group and heavy daily smoking 25 years. I’ll agree because I’ve been heavily smoking every day for 30 years, right? So, what was the effect on the lungs?” Yates asked rhetorically.
While acknowledging some negative effects from heat and tar that could increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, he highlighted an unexpected finding: “Lung function, interesting. 25 years of ca**abis smoking compared to the non-smokers, there was a slight increase in lung capacity in the ca**abis smokers.”
Even more striking, Yates noted: “No cancers. Other groups got cancers, but this one don’t after 25 years.”
The bodybuilding champion also challenged assumptions about elite athletes. “I said, ‘You know, they did a survey with the NFL players and NBA players. How many of them use ca**abis on a daily basis?’ In between 70 and 80%. So, we’re talking about the most elite athletes in the world, highest paid athletes. They wouldn’t be doing that if it wasn’t benefiting them.”
Yates acknowledged individual variation in response to ca**abis, describing a test that measures endocannabinoid system responses. “The likelihood of you having negative effects from ca**abis, you’re on one out of 10,” he said of his own results.
The concern about potency has emerged as a central issue across the debate. Huberman highlighted this during his exchange on social media. “The THC concentration nowadays is a serious issue,” he wrote. “A guest claimed that’s only a problem for ingestibles but a clinician I hosted after said the psychosis risk is real for smoked, vaped and edible forms.”
Modern products can contain THC concentrations exceeding 90 percent, a shift from earlier decades when typical concentrations measured around 4 percent.
Medical concerns have mounted alongside the expansion. Nearly 2.8 million Americans annually experience cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a condition involving severe vomiting and stomach pain linked to ca**abis use. Jennifer Macaluso, who experienced the syndrome, questioned: “Why don’t more doctors know about it? Why didn’t anyone ever mention it to me?”
Hospitals have reported increases in ca**abis-linked paranoia and chronic psychotic disorders. A 2024 investigation concluded that “as marijuana legalization has accelerated across the country, doctors are contending with the effects of an explosion in the use of the stuff and its intensity. The accumulating harm is broader and more severe than previously reported.”
Yates maintained that much of the negative perception stems from historical factors. “Ca**abis has a very negative image they say because of over 100 years of propaganda,” he stated. “It was a medicine. You could get it on the shelves in America in 1900.”
He noted that “Queen Victoria, the famous longest queen, she used to use ca**abis for period pains and this and that.”
Proposed reforms include federal taxation, making products above 60 percent THC unavailable, stronger regulation against unsupported medical claims, and federal standards to prevent states from competing to loosen restrictions.
