Drugs on the Docket

The Ohio State University
The Ohio State University
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Society & Culture
  • Series

Drugs on the Docket is a production of the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center (DEPC) at The Ohio State University. Each episode explores how U.S. court rulings—primarily those handed down from the Supreme Court—impact drug law and policy and continue to shape the War on Drugs. Drugs on the Docket unpacks various ways courts have engaged with and responded to the opioid epidemic, police discretion, the sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine, and more. The series, hosted by Hannah Miller, invites guests with expertise in criminal justice, drug policy, and drug enforcement to help us break down the sometimes complex and always interesting stories behind today’s drug law landscape. Drugs on the Docket is produced by DEPC’s Service Engagement Project Manager Hannah Miller and Public Engagement Specialist Holly Griffin. DEPC Executive Director Douglas A. Berman is our editorial advisor. Music by Joe DeWitt. Visit go.osu.edu/drugsonthedocket to learn more.

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  1. Episode 1

    Season 4 Episode 1 – United States v. Hemani: Oral Arguments with Jake Charles and Joel Johnson (Part 1 of 2)

    In the first episode of season 4, host Hannah Miller and cohost Douglas Berman unpack amici briefs and oral arguments from the Supreme Court case, United States v. Hemani. The case raises deep questions about enforcement, personal liberty, and how far the government can go to prevent harm. Guests Joel Johnson and Jake Charles bring expert perspectives to this pending case that sits at the uneasy crossroads of drugs and guns. Johnson and Charles are associate professors at Pepperdine University School of Law. Show notes: SCOTUSblog page on United States v. Hemani Recording and transcript of United States v. Hemani oral arguments An off-ramp for the court’s next big gun case by Joel Johnson, SCOTUSblog Brief of Professor Joel S. Johnson as Amicus Curiae Supporting Respondent Breaking Down the Hemani Arguments by Jake Charles, Duke Center for Firearms Law Blog Brief of Second Amendment Law Scholars as Amici Curiae in Support of Petitioner (co-authored by Jake Charles) Visit go.osu.edu/drugsonthedocket to learn more about the podcast.

  2. Episode 2

    Season 4 Episode 2 – Drugs and Guns with Jacob Sullum

    This episode explores the evolution of gun and drug laws in the United States, highlighting common policy origins and legal principles underpinning the current fight for access. Hosts Hannah Miller and Doug Berman are joined by guest Jacob Sullum to discuss his latest book, Beyond Control: Drug Prohibition, Gun Regulation, and the Search for Sensible Alternatives—a critique of regulatory frameworks that have fallen short of their goals while eroding civil liberties—and to consider the potential impact of the Supreme Court case, United States v. Hemani. Jacob Sullum is a senior editor at Reason and a nationally syndicated columnist who has covered drug policy, public health, gun control, civil liberties, and criminal justice for more than three decades. Show notes: Publisher’s page for Beyond Control: Drug Prohibition, Gun Regulation, and the Search for Sensible Alternatives Jacob Sullum’s author page on reason.com SCOTUSblog page on United States v. Hemani Visit go.osu.edu/drugsonthedocket to learn more about the podcast.

  3. Episode 3

    Season 4 Episode 3 – Hemani v. United States: Decision with Jake Charles and Joel Johnson (Part 2 of 2)

    In this episode, host Hannah Miller and cohost Douglas Berman bring back Joel Johnson and Jake Charles to discuss the Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Hemani. We explore how Hemani fits into the Court’s evolving Second Amendment framework established by Heller, McDonald, Bruen, and Rahimi, the role of dangerousness, status, and historical analogues, and why—despite a unanimous ruling—Hemani leaves many issues in firearm dispossession and marijuana law unresolved. Johnson and Charles are associate professors at Pepperdine University School of Law. Show notes: Part 1 on Hemani v. United States Oral Arguments SCOTUSblog page on Hemani decision An off-ramp for the court’s next big gun case by Joel Johnson, SCOTUSblog Brief of Professor Joel S. Johnson as Amicus Curiae Supporting Respondent Breaking Down the Hemani Arguments by Jake Charles, Duke Center for Firearms Law Blog Brief of Second Amendment Law Scholars as Amici Curiae in Support of Petitioner (co-authored by Jake Charles) Visit go.osu.edu/drugsonthedocket to learn more about the podcast.

  4. Episode 4

    Season 4 Episode 4 – Tale of Two Schedules with Sam Kamin, Robert Mikos, Cat Packer and Kathryn Cornelius

    In June 2026, the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center brought together leading scholars, advocates and regulators for a webinar to explore the implications of marijuana rescheduling at the federal level, as well as what it does—and does not—change in the federal and state cannabis landscape. This conversation took place after the Trump Administration made a surprise announcement in April 2026 that it was rescheduling state medical marijuana products, but before a hearing in late June to consider full rescheduling of all forms of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. This episode is a recording of that webinar and features Sam Kamin, Robert Mikos, Cat Packer and Kathryn Cornelius, in conversation with Doug Berman. Together, they explore what partial rescheduling of marijuana means in practice, and what the future could hold for adult-use marijuana. Sam Kamin is Chauncey G. Wilson Memorial Research Chair at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Robert Mikos is the LaRoche Family Chair in Law at Vanderbilt University Law School. Cat Packer is the Distinguished Cannabis Policy Practitioner in Residence at The Ohio State University Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, Director of Drug Markets and Legal Regulation at Drug Policy Alliance, and former Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation. Kathryn Cornelius is Deputy Chief Legal Counsel at the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Cannabis Control. Show notes: Final corrected hearing transcripts for the proposed rescheduling of marijuana The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center’s resource page, Federal Marijuana Rescheduling: Process and Impact The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center’s resource page, Adult-Use Marijuana in Ohio: What You Need to Know The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center’s resource page, Marijuana Reform and Taxes: How States Tax Adult Use Cannabis and Spend Resulting Revenue Visit go.osu.edu/drugsonthedocket to learn more about the podcast.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Drugs on the Docket is a production of the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center (DEPC) at The Ohio State University. Each episode explores how U.S. court rulings—primarily those handed down from the Supreme Court—impact drug law and policy and continue to shape the War on Drugs. Drugs on the Docket unpacks various ways courts have engaged with and responded to the opioid epidemic, police discretion, the sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine, and more. The series, hosted by Hannah Miller, invites guests with expertise in criminal justice, drug policy, and drug enforcement to help us break down the sometimes complex and always interesting stories behind today’s drug law landscape. Drugs on the Docket is produced by DEPC’s Service Engagement Project Manager Hannah Miller and Public Engagement Specialist Holly Griffin. DEPC Executive Director Douglas A. Berman is our editorial advisor. Music by Joe DeWitt. Visit go.osu.edu/drugsonthedocket to learn more.

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