Popular in the 1970s, Head Magazine is back! For the latest on pop culture and cannabis in the 2020s, visit http://headmagazine.com/ and follow Head on Instagram (@headmagazineofficial).
All of my articles are available here. Below are descriptions of each published article, categorized alphabetically for quick reference by topic.
Cite my name (Kathleen Hearons) and Head Magazine (headmagazine.com) if you share my work.
COLLABORATIONS
“Head Magazine at Cannabis University: Part 1” | I share some key takeaways from the class Demystifying Cannabis: Discover the Truth About the Profound Physical, Emotional & Spiritual Healing of This Ancient Plant Medicine, created and led by Dr. Pepper Hernandez. The course is offered by The Shift Network, and this article was written with Shift’s consent.
“Head Magazine at Cannabis University: Part 2” | I share some key takeaways from the class Demystifying Cannabis: Discover the Truth About the Profound Physical, Emotional & Spiritual Healing of This Ancient Plant Medicine, created and led by Dr. Pepper Hernandez. The course is offered by The Shift Network, and this article was written with Shift’s consent.
“Head Magazine at Cannabis University: Part 3” | I share some key takeaways from the class Demystifying Cannabis: Discover the Truth About the Profound Physical, Emotional & Spiritual Healing of This Ancient Plant Medicine, created and led by Dr. Pepper Hernandez. The course is offered by The Shift Network, and this article was written with Shift’s consent.
“What Does ‘Full Spectrum’ on Your Product Package Really Mean?” | Dr. Pepper Hernandez explained the dangers of trusting in “full spectrum” during her lecture on medicinal cannabis as part of The Shift Network’s class Demystifying Cannabis: Discover the Truth About the Profound Physical, Emotional & Spiritual Healing of This Ancient Plant Medicine. With Shift’s consent, I share and expand on Dr. Hernandez’s insight.
CULTURE
“Winter Solstice Traditions You’ve Been Sleeping On: Yalda, the Persian Holiday That Parties All Night” | I share the history and present-day customs of Yalda, and I suggest ways in which readers can incorporate Yalda traditions into their winter solstice.
“A Green But Booze-Free St. Paddy’s Day for Sobriety Warriors – California Sober and Traditionally Sober Alike!” | I explore cannabis and cannabis-derived alternatives to alcohol for recovering alcoholics who want to (or are forced to) celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday known for drinking.
“Ireland’s Sacred Shamrock: Healer, Teacher, Leader” | I explore the roles that the shamrock has played in medicine, religion and politics, while also teaching readers how to identify real shamrocks.
“The Four Things That Unite Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa” | I introduce the history of these holidays, and then I examine four overarching themes that they all share.
“Weed Words Enter American Sign Language: Cannabis Subculture Blooms in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community” | I cover the emergence of cannabis-related signs in American Sign Language, a recent development.
“Listen to Your Father – 3 Things the ‘Father of Cannabis Research’ Taught Us” | For Father’s Day, I summarize lessons to be learned from the life of Raphael Mechoulam, Ph.D.
“Sex and Weed: Our Guide to the Best Strains and Products for the Hottest Valentine’s Day Ever” | I provide research findings on how to achieve certain effects (e.g., greater intensity, longer sessions) in your love life by using specific cannabis products.
“Got New Year’s Resolutions? Our Six-Step Guide and Editable Template Will Help Make Them Stick” | I guide readers through creating, planning and tracking small, interrelated goals that lay the foundation for fulfilling new year’s resolutions.
“Happy Halloweed! Six ‘Musts’ for a Great Party” | Whether you’re assembling a cannabis posse or having both tokers and non-partakers over for a Halloween party, here are six things you must do for a happy Halloweed!
“Happy 4/20! Six More 420s You Might Not Know About” | After explaining how the number 420 came to be associated with weed, I cover other associations with that number, which vary by context and country.
“Head Magazine’s Birthday Party! Celebrate 4/20 With Us and the Foods That Share Our Day” | To celebrate the third anniversary of “Head” magazine’s online comeback, I show what the perfect 420 snack bar looks like with foods (e.g., pizza cake) whose holidays fall on April 20, 2023. In addition to providing the historical backgrounds of these foods, I include links to recipes (both regular and vegan).
ENTERTAINMENT
“The Role Marijuana Plays in Two Oscar-Winning Films” | This looks at the roles cannabis played as an inanimate actor in “American Beauty” (1999) and “Platoon” (1986).
“Best Weed Strains for Horror Movie Night” | I analyze the brain’s chemical reactions to fear (from horror movies) and cannabis, and then recommend which strains (based on research) to smoke depending on what you want to experience while watching a scary movie high.
“Four Comedians We Lost in 2022: Still Making Us Laugh – But in New Ways” | I examine one thing that four of the celebrities who passed away in 2022 have in common: a namesake weed strain. I go over the highlights of each comedian’s career, and I describe the aspects of the strain, as reported by cannabis growers and consumers.
“Light Up Halloween Month with Spooky Spliffs, Eerie Edibles, Frightful Farms and More!” | I searched high and low to discover special Halloween events happening in October 2024 that are weed-focused, nationwide.
“‘Brawl in Cell Block 99’ Earns Its Spot At The Top of The Grindhouse Heap” | This is a review of “Brawl in Cell Block 99” (2017), one of my all-time favorite movies. I examine all aspects of it, from special effects to cinematography and more.
“Why the Scream Near the End of ‘Psycho’ Is Silent” | I dive into trivia tied to the side career of the 1960 film’s leading actor, Anthony Perkins.
“Bela Lugosi Movies: A Fan’s Guide to the Perfect Watchlist” | Drawing from my extensive knowledge of the films of the late Hungarian American actor Bela Lugosi (aka the original Count Dracula), I recommend which movies of his to watch based on your level of interest in the actor.
“The Allure of Great Silent Films” | This shares how I became interested in movies from the early 1900s, and it discusses why silent films are likely to appeal to 2022 audiences.
“Horror Movies: the Good, the Bad and the Immortal” | I review 31 scary movies (spoiler free) and categorize each in terms of its quality and capacity to withstand the test of time. (Author’s Note: This list is now obsolete and needs updating.)
ENVIRONMENT & HORTICULTURE
“Earth’s Best Friend: How Cannabis Protects and Restores Our Planet” | I explain how cannabis contributes to mitigating up to 40% of the planet’s top 15 climate crises in 2025.
“Plastic Pollution and the Weed Solution” | I explore how feasible and practical it is to replace petroleum with cannabis as the cellulose source for producing plastic.
“Ten Cannabis Doppelgängers: Watch out for Faux Pot!” | After defining key terms, I explain how to tell cannabis apart from 10 plants that look identical to cannabis.
“Psilocybin Family Grows! ‘Citizen Scientists’ Discover Two New Species” | I inform readers of the achievements of people who contribute to science without needing credentials, citing this example.
“Cannabis Terroir: Weed’s Induction Into High Society Is a Win for Everyone” | I define the concept of terroir in the context of growing cannabis and explain how establishing an appellation system can benefit governments and cannabis growers, vendors, consumers and advocates.
“Halloween’s Surprising Origins: From Ancient Samhain to Cannabis Croptober” | I present a well-researched, appreciative Halloweed homage to the cannabis growers and harvesters.
“Mosquito Problem? Your Cannabis Plant Could Be the Solution!” | I shed light on the “world’s deadliest animal,” examine cannabis’s use as a mosquito repellent and summarize U.S. laws pertaining to growing your own cannabis plants.
FASHION
“Luxury Brands Keeping Hemp Hip” | This features an assortment of photos of clothing and accessories made entirely or partially of hemp by the greatest designers in contemporary haute couture.
“Move Over Barbie: Get Ready for Pot Girl Summer” | I go over the many benefits of choosing hemp-woven swimwear over polyester, nylon, cotton or any other fabric’s swimwear.
HEALTH, NUTRITION & WELLNESS
“Endocannabinoids and Eating Disorders: How the Body’s Levels of Anandamide and 2-AG Are Implicated in Anorexia and Binge Eating” | I examine the correlation and plausible causal relationship between the two main endocannabinoids (anandamide and 2-AG) and two eating disorders: anorexia and binge eating disorder.
“Can You Overdose on Weed? What You Need to Know About Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome” | If you overtax your body’s weed-processing machine, the endocannabinoid system, too many times, there’s a chance that you might come down with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), which is what I discuss in this article.
“Can CBD Reverse Memory Loss?” | I review studies that have shown how CBD reverses memory loss, going into the science of it.
“Holiday Stress? Our Cannabis-Infused Holistic Self-Care Plan Works All Year Round” | Diving deep into the science of stress’s effect on the body, I propose stress-management techniques.
“Why Raw Cannabis Is a Thanksgiving Must-Have” | I review the health benefits of consuming cannabis leaves and buds (flowers) that have not been dried, cooked, steamed, vaped or smoked, along with providing the scientific explanation of why raw cannabis does not have psychedelic effects.
“Ireland’s Miracle Flower Is Cannabis’s Sister From Another Mother” | For St. Patrick’s Day, I cover the healing powers of a lesser-known flower native to Ireland called self-heal.
“Insomniacs for the Win! Natural CBN Offers Effective, Legal Alternative to Manufactured Sleep Drugs” | I review the importance of sleep and provide an alternative way of treating insomnia to improve your overall health.
“Marijuana and Exercise: Could Cannabis Improve Your Workouts?” | I examine the pros and cons of incorporating weed into your exercise regimen.
“‘Vampires’ and Weed: Yet Another Use for Medical Marijuana” | I examine how marijuana treats the symptoms of the blood disorder porphyria (aka “vampire disease”).
“Psychedelic Microdosing the ‘Newest’ Mental Health Treatment” | I look at the origins of what, although only now becoming popular in Western civilization, has been around in other cultures for millennia: using trace amounts of psychedelic substances to treat depression, eating disorders, addiction and numerous other mental health issues.
“Kava Kava: Key to Conquering Phobias” | I explore an all-natural way to get through horrifying exposure-driven desensitization therapy, which is ironically the most effective way to cure someone of a phobia.
“A Pulse Check on Epilepsy and Medicinal Cannabis” | I use a case study to research alternative approaches to controlling seizures now that CBD oil has ceased to be banned outright throughout the U.S.
“Morphine vs. CBD” | This compares the quality of life experienced by terminally ill patients who live out their final days on opioids or cannabinoids.
HISTORY
“‘Chronic’ Ghost Sightings in Ancient China” | Building on the archaeological findings of high-THC-cannabis use in ancient China, I go back 2,500 years in Chinese history to discover whether there was a connection in ancient China between cannabis and ghosts.
“When Did Cannabis Become the Bad Guy? What We Didn’t Know” | I go through the history of the factors and key players in changing the American public’s attitude toward what was once a U.S. government-approved, family friendly home remedy for a multitude of ailments.
“Cannabis’s Ancient Voyage West: How a Plant Native to China Found Its Way to Wherever You Are” | I take readers into the first millennium to track cannabis’s journey from its point of origin.
“Giving Thanks: A History of Native Americans and Cannabis” | To honor Native American Heritage Month (November), I explore how America’s first inhabitants used cannabis. As part of my research and reporting, I also explain the opposing arguments concerning whether what Native Americans used was in fact cannabis.
“G.I. Weed: When Cannabis Was Standard Issue in the U.S. Army” | There was a time when the U.S. government’s War Department (predecessor of the Department of Defense) told the Army to carry cannabis indica in the field. I dug deep into military archives to find out when and why.
“Memorial Day in a Church Made of Human Bones: a Czech Tomb of the Unknowns” | I present the history of the fallen warriors on display in the Sedlec Ossuary near Prague, Czech Republic.
“How to Regrow Kinky, Coily and Curly Hair: A Fascinating Intersection of Black History and Cannabis” | Celebrating Black History Month, I look at the hair product developed and sold by Madame C.J. Walker, who went on to become the first female African American millionaire. I then show how cannabis achieves the same effects today that Walker’s hair product achieved in the 1910s/1920s.
“The Christmas Truce of 1914: A Holiday Miracle” | I give readers a 20-question trivia quiz on this amazing event in history from World War I.
“Cannabis Sativa and the War of 1812: What Might Have Been” | After a brief look into what got the United States into the War of 1812, I examine how thousands or tens of thousands of lives could have been saved.
“How Thanksgiving and Medical Marijuana Met on Tiny Norfolk Island” | I share the story of how it came to be that a remote Australian territory celebrates a U.S.-style Thanksgiving Day holiday.
“Light Me Up – I’m Irish: Ireland’s Secret Cannabis History” | I dive into how hemp production in Ireland shaped European geopolitics and Western medicine.
“How LSD’s Ancestor Links Dinosaurs to the Salem Witch Trials” | I examine two seemingly unrelated theories that are connected by the psychoactive fungus ergot.
“Bats and Weed: Guano for Your Ganja” | I explore the remarkable role of bat excrement (“guano”) in Western history and cannabis horticulture.
“How One Pacific Island Nation First Got Weed – From U.S. Government Hippies” | Honoring Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I explore a little-discussed historical event in the Federated States of Micronesia.
“A Real-Life Mardi Gras Rom-Com From the 1700s” | I explore the highly improbable but absolutely true happy ending of the Casket Girls imported to North America from France.
“Which Side Was Krampus, the ‘Christmas Devil,’ on in World War II?” | I examine the bizarre intersection of ancient Alpine lore and Austrian domestic politics in the 1930s.
“The Taming of Jólakötturinn, Iceland’s Ferocious ‘Yule Cat’: From Blood and Gore to Peace and Goodwill” | I report on a fascinating tradition unique to Iceland, uncovering its lesser-known origins and explaining how the lore shifted from dangerous to endearing over centuries.
“Native Americans and Alcatraz: The Other Thanksgiving Tradition” | I present two opposing views on Thanksgiving’s historic significance in the U.S. and explain how, despite that opposition, Thanksgiving and “Unthanksgiving” can both be celebrated by the same people on the same day.
“Why Did the Ancient Celts Get High on Halloween?” | I explore the connection between Samhain (Halloween’s parent holiday, as the article explains) and psychedelics.
“A Deep Dive Into The Origin of Halloween” | This article examines the impact that ancient holidays, the Catholic Church and other things had on the development of modern-day Halloween in the United States.
“Reefer Madness: The Story Behind An Anti-Cannabis Classic” | This is about a web of racism, legislation and cinema in 1930s America, from which “Reefer Madness” (1936) was born. Read this article, and then watch that movie to taste a slice of sour U.S. history.
“Valentine’s Day’s Half-Goat, Half-Man Ancestor and the Bloodthirsty Cult that Spawned the Lovers Holiday” | I explore the history of Lupercalia, the pagan ancestor holiday that was turned into St. Valentine’s Day, by studying Italian sources.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
“Africa Is Getting Into the Cannabis Game – Get Ready!” | I explore the nine countries in Africa that are advancing toward conditionally legalizing cannabis.
“Italy Pushes to Reclassify CBD as Narcotic” | Conducting research in Italian, I uncovered more about this prospect than any other English-language news website (including ones devoted to cannabis news) has (as of late August 2024). I share my findings in this international affairs piece.
“Viva Cannabis de Mayo: Marijuana Legalization Looms Near in Mexico” | This May 2021 article draws a parallel between the Franco-Mexican War battle victory commemorated every May 5th and the popular push to legalize cannabis.
MARKETING
“#ReefersForReading – Head Magazine’s Recommendations for Canna-bookworms” | Celebrating the numerous reading-related holidays in November, I share six cannabis-themed book recommendations, emphasizing self-education.
“The Head Magazine Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: Get Your Sexy On!” | I introduce and advertise gifts to consider for your beloved this Valentine’s Day.
“Head Magazine 2024 Holiday Gift Guide” | Working with the editor-in-chief, I looked up great gift ideas for canna-philes and wrote catchy taglines for each one.
“Head Magazine 2023 Holiday Gift Guide” | I present Head staff’s top picks for cannabis-themed holiday gifts, complete with a concise sales pitch for each item.
OCCULTISM
“Entheogens and the Clair Senses: Can Cannabis Tap Into Your Psychic Abilities?” | I use the transitive law to speculate about theoretically possible causal relationships between certain psychedelics and psychic abilities.
“Haunted? How to Contact the Spirits on Halloween: They May Be Closer Than You Think” | I conduct a semi-scientific analysis by examining a hypothetical scenario involving time-tested lore and empirical data on the highly potent psychotropic substance DMT.
PERSONAL ESSAYS
“Generative AI vs. Marijuana: Which Does More to Your Brain When Used Regularly?” | In my research-based op-ed, I explore the MIT report on incurring “cognitive debt” when using generative AI regularly, comparing AI’s effects on your brain to marijuana’s effects on your brain, and proposing a theory addressing which of these is more concerning.
“CBD and My Cat” | This discusses the effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) oil in treating the pain that a cat (my angel Lolita) with a serious, incurable medical condition was enduring. When vets weren’t willing to help us, cannabis was – and thank God for that. (Author’s Note: This article was written in July 2019, and Lolita passed away in July 2023.)
“Growing Up in the ’80s” | This is a firsthand account of what it took to open my mind up to the possibility of medicinal marijuana, after having grown up in the “Just Say No” era. Although I personally can’t give it a try, I do indeed believe it’s scientifically sound.
POLITICS, LAW ENFORCEMENT & LEGISLATION
“First Thanksgiving Native American Tribe Among Those Harmed by Law in Deal to End Government Shutdown” | This article serves to both announce what Congress did in secret and demonstrate how the centuries-old imbalance between U.S. policy and tribal self-determination persists as a result.
“Texas Poised to Ban Consumable Hemp Products Containing THC: A Scorched-Earth Approach to Closing a Single Legal Loophole” | I examine the justifications given by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick for pursuing a THC ban despite all the damage it will do to Texas’ economy, job market and consumers, while providing ample detail on that damage as well.
“The Illogic of Illegal Weed: A Comprehensive Analysis” | I deconstruct the Controlled Substances Act to explore how the federal law keeping marijuana conditionally illegal is unlawful and violates its own rules.
“Marijuana and the Americans with Disabilities Act: How Does the Controlled Substances Act Affect Disabled Americans?” | As efforts to reschedule marijuana flounder, I look at how keeping marijuana in Schedule I is affecting the disabled community both individually and legally, and what would change if marijuana were to be rescheduled or even de-scheduled.
“Can THC Breathalyzer Tests Work for Law Enforcement?” | I examine whether an exhale is a reliable way to determine someone’s THC level, and whether someone’s THC level is the right way to ascertain a driver’s marijuana-induced impairment.
“Drug Test with False Positive? Just Say ‘No'” | I reveal common foods and household products that can cause you to test positive for drugs, along with ways to detox your body from them.
“President Biden’s Weed Pardon: What You Need to Know” | I present a succinct yet thoroughly researched analysis of the implications of President Joe Biden’s pardoning of all those convicted on prior federal charges, or convicted in Washington, D.C., of simple cannabis possession on or before Oct. 6, 2022.
“Is Drug-Testing Sewage a Good Way to Determine a City’s Weed Habits?” | I explore a lesser-known method of data-gathering that shapes public and social policies, questioning its validity.
“Mandatory Tax on Street Weed! To Pay (or Not to Pay)?” | I explain a little-known, high-stakes government-enforced taxation system that applies to the underground market for illicit substances.
“Is Delta-8 Bootlegged THC?” | I explore how people are chemically enhancing hemp-derived tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to get high legally.
“Elections Prove Americans Are Warming up to Weed” | The Nov. 3, 2020, elections had a huge impact on the cannabis legalization movement. I cover the highlights in this article.
“Gap Narrows Between Cannabis Legalization and Commercialization” | This explores the changes in legislation that are catching up cannabis possession to cannabis sales and purchases.
SCIENCE
“Weed STEM Uses: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in Cannabis Research” | I explore some STEM ways that are proving – theoretically where not empirically – cannabis’s constructive functions.
“Cannabis and Grief: The Science of How Our Bodies Are Custom-Built to Process Cannabis While Coping with the Death of a Loved One”| I connect the damage done by grief to your brain and the healing capability of CBD for your brain, which complement one another and can help those hurting from losing a loved one.
“Can Cannabis Raise Your Vibration?” | After covering the basics of quantum physics, I assess how cannabis influences you at the subatomic level.
“Pot, Booze, Cigs, Sugar, Caffeine … Most Addictive? It Depends!” | This takes a scientific approach (with input from 73 cited sources) to compare the addictive qualities of cannabis, alcohol, cigarettes, sugar and caffeine to determine which substance presents the greatest likelihood for developing an addiction (as defined therein).
“I Dream of Chronic: How Weed Affects Dreams, and What Dreams About Weed Mean” | I examine the schools of thought on why we dream, and then I review research on how cannabis affects dreaming, and what cannabis means symbolically in dreams.
“Best Cannabis Strain for Your Eye Color? Read On…” | I combine the science behind eye-color-determined personality traits and the effects reported to be produced by certain weed strains, in order to recommend weed strains by eye color.
Kat Hearons 
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