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Travel

Meet the Man Behind a Synthetic Marijuana Steampunk Rock Opera

On this episode of 'HAMILTON'S PHARMACOPEIA,' the host heads to New Zealand to meet a drug advocate working to create safe, legal synthetic weed.

On this episode of HAMILTON'S PHARMACOPEIA, host Hamilton Morris treks to New Zealand to meet activist and musician Matt Bowden. When Bowden isn't designing clothes or making music, he works to develop safe synthetic weed for the country's regulated, legal drug market.

Synthetic marijuana is in a bit of a legal gray area in New Zealand due to its chemical makeup. After Hamilton samples a few hits of the drug at a local head shop, he meets with Health Minister Peter Dunne to learn more about the country's legal highs. He then accompanies Bowden to Shanghai, China, to tour the inner workings of a secretive cannabinoid laboratory and film a few scenes for Bowden's steampunk rock opera.