Rnz: Afternoons With Jesse Mulligan

For years we've been told marijuana can treat everything from anxiety to chronic pain, often with more confidence than evidence because cannabis as an illegal drug is so hard to study. Now, the U.S. is reclassifying cannabis in a way that could finally make real scientific research easier. It's moving from a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin, to Schedule III, closer to drugs like Tylenol with codeine. That change could open the door to much more real research. Dr. Margaret Haney is a neurobiology professor at Columbia University and runs its Cannabis Research Lab. For decades, she's argued marijuana has been sold as medicine without the kind of rigorous testing every other prescription drug is required to go through. Even with the limitations, her work has shown the dangers of cannabis use disorder and the impacts weed can have on the teenage brain.

On Tuesdays we play You're the Judge - we put a dilemma to you and ask for your help to solve it - today's one is about not posting photos of your children on social media, and what you can do if you can't convince the grandparents to do the same. We love to get your reckons - 2101 with your thoughts.

Tim Batt chats to Jesse about all things tech. This week, the TVNZ+ app, the big data center being built in Utah and a new EU rule about mobile phone batteries.

It's time for Mayoral minutes, where we speak with a local mayor about the challenges they're facing, how they're working to solve them and what makes their community special. This week we're heading to the South Wairarapa District, from where Mayor Fran Wilde joins Jesse.

Afternoons book critic Bill Hastings shares what he's been reading: Edward Chisholm, Murder in Paris '68, A True Story of Death and Glamour (Monoray, 2026) Zach Klein, Cabin Porn (Penguin 2015) and Zach Klein, Cabin Porn Inside (Penguin 2019). Harry Ricketts, Bonfires on the Ice (VUW, 2025).

Coming up on Thrift, ready or not, retirement comes to all of us but how prepared are we? Katy Gosset takes a look.

Professor Jesse Bering has spent almost three decades researching the way we think about the afterlife. That research led him to the work of the psychiatrist Dr Ian Stevenson. Dr Stevenson dedicated his career to documenting consciousness after death, travelling the world to investigate cases of reincarnation, apparitions and near-death experiences. Now Professor Bering, who the Director of the Centre for Science Communication at the University of Otago, has released a book about what he found.

New Zealand tech firm Scentian Bio has developed a digital nose that can be used to detect the tiny chemicals associated with everything from fruit ripeness to sickness in human breath. It's based around sensors which use insect smell receptors .. which are thought to be a thousand times more sensitive than a sniffer dog. Here to tell us more about it is Scentian Bio's Chief Executive Jonathan Good.

We're starting today's show talking about sugar, and what we can do to reduce our consumption of it. The issues connected with sugar aren't new news, but in an election year, dentists say now's the time to do something about it. The NZ Dental Association argues that education isn't enough and it's time for stronger policies to be put in place. Hawkes Bay based Dentist & Director of Dental Policy at the NZ Dental Association Dr Robin Whyman joins me now to discuss.

One of Aotearoa's most successful, and most infamous, invasive exports. This week's critter is one you've almost certainly met - even if you didn't know it. It's tiny, it's tough, and it's one of Aotearoa's most successful global export, although not necessarily in a good way. Meet the New Zealand mudsnail. Nicola Toki and Jesse discuss.

We know many of you are doing it tough financially right now - but there are also people who need some help keeping their house as clean as they would like it - which is why The Housekeeper's Rachael Quin is here to help.

Kara Rickard, host of Music 101 here on RNZ each Saturday afternoon from 1pm, talks about what's happening on the music scene over the weekend, what's coming up on her show tomorrow and because Friday is new music day - she'll pick us a track to play.

Gretchen Lowe joins Jesse with a delicious sounding recipe - perfect for the long weekend. Click here for the recipe

Dominic Corry is with Jesse to talk films and we're going to start with the one he said is "the worst biopic he has ever had to sit through." Michael (the Michael Jackson biopic) in cinemas this week. Sgt. Haane (the new local doco-drama about a Maori war hero) in cinemas next week. The Italian film festival which begins on Tuesday.

It's that time of the week - time for Freaky Friday! It's the home for all of your terrifying tales, eerie co-incidents and spooky stories. So if you've got a story you'd like to share. Text the details to 2010 or email me at Jesse@ afternoons.co.nz Today we're speaking to Matthew.

On the 10th of November 2024 Hikoi mo te Tiriti set off from Cape Reinga for Parliament. The hikoi was a march against the Treaty Principle Bill. By the time it arrived in Wellington nine days later, it had become one of New Zealand's largest ever protest movements with up to 100 thousand people involved. Among those walking was documentary film-maker Whatanui Flavell His film about the experience "KA ORA TONU - When We Walk" airs on TVNZ this Sunday morning.

Eating disorders are estimated to affect somewhere between 100 and 200,000 New Zealanders. And it's an issue that seems to be getting worse rather than better. So a boost in funding from the Government is very welcome news to places like the Waikato Region Eating Disorders team. To discuss, Jesse is joined by Waikato's regional mental health and addictions lead Vicki Aitken.

Including looking after the monuments. Pam Dziwulska is a specialist architect who's been working to finish restoration work on Pukekohe War Memorial Town Hall in Auckland in time for ANZAC Day. She chats to Jesse.

There has been a lot of talk about the free trade agreement between New Zealand and India this week. Winston Peters says it's an "utter unmitigated disaster of an agreement for New Zealand's future." However yesterday Chris Hipkins confirmed Labour will support deal but did express concern about the investment target that's been set - 33 billion dollars. The deal is set to be formally signed on April 27th in New Delhi, and the full text is expected to be made public the following day. We want to find out more about it, so BusinessDesk senior correspondent Dileepa Fonseka chats to Jesse.

Parenting is complicated enough, but what happens when kids are moving between two households with completely different rules, routines and expectations? For many families that's a reality. According to data from the Ministry of Social development almost 1 in 5 New Zealand households have a child in a shared care arrangement So how do you stay consistent, support your child and navigate those differences? Parenting Place's Parent coach Kristin Ward is with Jesse.