The Charlie Kirk Show

Episode: High on Denial? America’s Weed Problem & a 2026 Wake-Up Call

Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Charlie Kirk (with guests Blake Neff, Alex Berenson, Tom Bevan, and others)

Overview

This episode centers on America’s growing marijuana problem, the cultural and political denial around its harms, and the recent admission by formerly skeptical outlets (like The New York Times) that legalization may have brought unforeseen negative impacts. Charlie and his guests especially focus on cannabis' mental health dangers—particularly for young men—debunking popular myths about its harmlessness and medicinal benefits. The show also briefly pivots to economic and political analysis with Tom Bevan of RealClearPolitics, and closes with a tribute to actor James Van Der Beek and reflective listener emails.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. America’s Marijuana Problem: Public Denial vs. Harsh Realities

(01:09 – 17:54)

The New York Times Changes Its Tune

• Guest: Alex Berenson—a prominent marijuana skeptic and author ("Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence").
• Berenson highlights a recent NYT editorial admitting the existence of a “marijuana problem” in the US—a stance the paper once mocked.
  • "It's time for America to admit it has a marijuana problem. Big, big admission from the New York Times." (01:09, Blake Neff reading NYT headline)
• NYT and others historically minimized the addiction and mental illness risks, viewing marijuana as mostly “harmless” and often touting supposed medicinal benefits—language Alex calls baseless propaganda.

First-Hand Stories Make the Crisis Real

• Notable Clip & Quote: Brett Cooper (conservative commentator) shares her family’s devastation:
  • “My mom and I have been told that my brother's psychosis, now full blown diagnosed schizophrenia, is most likely drug-induced from his years of smoking weed. This drug isn't harmless, no matter what our culture... tried to tell us.” (03:34–03:57, Brett Cooper via X post and audio at 09:08)
• Berenson notes the viral spread and impact of these testimonials, underscoring that real, personal suffering shifts public opinion more than statistics.

Addiction by the Numbers

• Marijuana is now used daily by more Americans than alcohol, despite far fewer total users.
  • “It went from about 1 million daily users in 1992 to more than 18 million daily users today.” (06:08, Blake Neff)
• Daily marijuana users structure their lives around the drug; Alex describes a downward trajectory into apathy, social withdrawal, and diminished ambitions:
  • “Maybe I don’t have a girlfriend anymore because I decided I liked cannabis more than having a girlfriend.” (07:26, Alex Berenson)

Young Men at Particular Risk

• Young males are especially vulnerable to high-dose THC’s mental health risks, including psychosis and schizophrenia.
  • “Young men seem to be particularly vulnerable to schizophrenia...This actually, to me, is one of the more terrifying aspects." (08:27, Blake Neff)
• Brett Cooper’s account details her brother’s tragic decline into schizophrenia after years of marijuana use, underscoring its role in psychiatric disease.

Debunking the “Medicine” Myth

• The cannabis industry, supported by media, promoted marijuana as a cure-all and minimized downsides for profit.
  • "If we're going to legalize [marijuana], it's got to be as a recreational intoxicant that's got downsides. But that's not how the industry got people to legalize." (04:54, Alex Berenson)
• Berenson criticizes liberal groupthink for ignoring long-standing data:
  • "There is a groupthink on the left in elite journalism that blinds people to facts that should be obvious." (12:30, Alex Berenson)

Historical Context & International Lessons

• Marijuana bans arose globally as societies saw the damage:
  • "Mexico actually banned cannabis first because Mexicans saw what it was doing to their culture and country." (14:13, Alex Berenson)
• US media mythologized its criminalization as racist panic, ignoring these parallels.

Quickfire: The Science & Social Cost

• Is weed a gateway drug?
  • “Yes. Evidence is clear on it.” (15:18, Alex Berenson)
• Rate of schizophrenia in young heavy users:
  • Triples the base rate (1%); hundreds of thousands have become severely mentally ill due to high cannabis use. (15:28–16:27, Alex Berenson)
• Cognitive impairment/IQ loss:
  • No precise number, but clear deficits in memory, motivation, intelligence, and life achievement. (16:40, Alex Berenson)
• Link to violence:
  • Some evidence rises in severe violence followed early legalization states, though violence is multi-factorial. (17:15, Alex Berenson)

2. Economic & Political Analysis: Voter Attitudes & the 2026 Election

(19:12 – 28:47)

Guest: Tom Bevan (RealClearPolitics)

• Evaluates Republican/Trump messaging vs. Democratic economic narratives heading toward the midterms.
• Quote:
  • “He's got a story to tell. There are plenty of good numbers…The problem is a perception problem, because people think the economy sucks.” (21:54, Tom Bevan)
• Emphasizes the need to empathize and connect with voters’ economic pain, not just tout numbers.
• Data show mixed signals—some signs of improving sentiment but persistent skepticism and partisan divides.
  • “It's almost like you're getting two sets of data...it's like the Biden year hangover and maybe this cognitive dissonance with what Trump is saying.” (27:07, Andrew Colvett)
• The crucial role of independents in the upcoming midterms receives special attention.

3. In Memoriam: Actor James Van Der Beek

(30:20 – 33:29)

• The show pays tribute to Van Der Beek, who succumbed to cancer, leaving behind a wife and six children.
• Moving reflections from Van Der Beek’s own words, spotlighting spiritual growth and self-worth through suffering:
  • “I am worthy of God's love simply because I exist. And if I'm worthy of God's love, shouldn't I also be worthy of my own? And the same is true for you.” (31:16–31:54, James Van Der Beek)

4. Listener Emails: Responses to the Marijuana Segment

(33:29 – 38:17)

• Many listeners share stories of families and friends harmed—mental illness, homelessness, addiction.
  • “We have another one, Gary, who says people…These are all legal because people are making money off of it. And I think Alex definitely drove that home for us.” (34:46, Blake Neff)
• Some skeptics challenge the show’s anti-marijuana stance:
  • “Will cigarettes and alcohol kill you? Yes. Cannabis does not. This guy is a useful idiot.” (36:48, Charlie Kirk, reading Gary)
  • Others agree all three are harmful but legal due to economic interests.
• Co-hosts stress the communal nature of addiction and the failure of purely individualistic (libertarian) arguments:
  • “We are defined not just…by our independence. We're defined by our burdens, obligations, our duties.” (37:24, Blake Neff)
• Summary takeaway:
  • First exposure can spiral to multiple addictions, worsened in vulnerable communities; the best “strategy” is not starting at all.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alex Berenson:
  • “There are probably hundreds of thousands of young people, mostly men, but some women in the United States and Canada, who’ve become severely mentally ill as a result of cannabis use, who wouldn’t have been.” (16:00)
• Blake Neff:
  • “It went from about 1 million daily users in 1992 to more than 18 million daily users today.” (06:08)
• Brett Cooper:
  • “This drug isn’t harmless, no matter what our culture and screaming people in comment sections tried to tell us.” (03:57; 09:08)
• James Van Der Beek:
  • “I am worthy of God's love simply because I exist.” (31:16)
• Charlie Kirk:
  • “In the scriptures, it says that you will be mastered by nothing, no addiction. Everybody struggles with what they struggle with, but that’s the goal—the North Star.” (35:04)
• Blake Neff:
  • “None of us is an island… all these addictions we push everywhere, they are encouraging people to abdicate their duties towards others, which are part of what make us fully human beings.” (37:24)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:09 – Alex Berenson joins to discuss the NYT’s turn on marijuana
• 03:34 / 09:08 – Brett Cooper’s family story on pot-induced schizophrenia
• 06:08 – Stark rise in daily marijuana users
• 08:27 – Young men especially at risk for schizophrenia
• 12:30 – Media and industry groupthink called out; international perspective
• 15:18–17:54 – Rapid fire: gateway drug, rates of psychosis, cognitive effect, violence
• 19:12–28:47 – Tom Bevan on economic perceptions and 2026 election strategy
• 30:20–33:29 – Tribute to James Van Der Beek (Final message: self-worth and spiritual significance)
• 33:29–38:17 – Listener emails: real-world stories, skepticism, and social argument against libertarian laissez-faire

Tone & Style

• Direct, unapologetically conservative, combative against mainstream media narrative
• Emotionally engaging, especially when highlighting first-person testimonies of harm
• Didactic and urgent: Repeated calls to action for youth, church, and grassroots activism

Summary Takeaways

• Marijuana use has ballooned in America, with mental health consequences that are only now being widely acknowledged—even by formerly resistant establishment media.
• Real-world stories, especially from young people and families, are driving a shift in attitudes more than abstract data.
• The profit motive and ideological “bubble” of pro-legalization media sowed deep misconceptions about marijuana’s risks.
• Economic and political messaging still struggles to connect with lived experiences; perception lags behind positive numbers.
• The episode closes with a reminder of community, duty, and the importance of supporting one another—whether fighting addiction, loss, or the challenges of modern America.

For more stories and updates, visit charliekirk.com.