Cannabis Hall Of Fame
“Damn Sam”, The Man Who Kept the 518 Lit (and Safe) Before It Was Legal to Say “Lit”
By OG Strain
There are event planners…
And then there are culture architects.
If you’ve ever pulled up to a 518 cannabis gathering and felt that unspoken energy — that mix of freedom, safety, good flower, and “we probably shouldn’t be here but somehow this feels historic” — chances are you were standing in a space created by Rob Robinson and the team behind Damn Sam Productions.
Let’s be clear right now.
Before legalization.
Before licensed dispensaries.
Before terpene charts printed on glossy packaging.
There was Rob Robinson.
And if you’re enjoying New York cannabis culture today, you are benefiting from groundwork that Rob Robinson helped lay brick by brick — sometimes under prohibition, sometimes under pressure, always under purpose.
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The Angry Kid Who Found a Plant Instead of a Problem
Rob Robinson will tell you straight — cannabis entered the picture early. Probably too early. Like many young people navigating anger and uncertainty, the plant didn’t escalate things… it soothed them.
From the very beginning, Rob felt an affinity with cannabis. Not just as a consumer — but as someone who understood it carried meaning. Healing. Culture. Resistance.
Some people discover weed.
Some people realize weed discovered them.
Rob always sensed it would be a major part of life. What wasn’t obvious yet was that it would become a lifelong mission.
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When Love for the Plant Became Activism
Raised in the 914 / 845 corridor, Rob eventually realized that if real change was going to happen, it would happen in Albany — the heart of the 518.
The state capitol.
The legislative office building.
The rooms where laws are written.
While many were quietly enjoying cannabis behind closed doors, Rob Robinson was organizing rallies, lobby days, senate meetings, assembly hearings, and press conferences — for years.
Under prohibition.
Back when attending a cannabis event meant real risk. Not just bad parking.
The early cannabis scene was solid — but underground. Community wasn’t built on marketing. It was built on trust. On safety. On protecting each other.
Rob used to say:
“We can’t get you here or home, but we can damn well keep you safe once you’re here.”
That wasn’t branding. That was a code.
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1989: The Moment Everything Changed
In 1989, High Times released a tri-fold flyer under the direction of Steve Hager:
Front: “The good news is we found a plant that can save the world.”
Middle: “The bad news is it is illegal.”
Back: A photo of a marijuana plant.
Inside that flyer was a spark that would ignite a life of activism.
Rob Robinson joined the High Times Freedom Fighters — at a time when “joining” meant publicly listing your phone number in a magazine. No encrypted apps. No anonymous usernames. Just conviction.
That same year, at Hash Bash in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Rob heard Jack Herer speak live for the first time. Alongside voices like Elvy Musikka, the message hit like lightning.
Overnight, Rob became a hemp activist. A cannabis reform advocate. A vegetarian. A believer in the power of this plant to change more than just mood.
That wasn’t a phase.
That was ignition.
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Hemp Splash & Learning From Legends
In 1990, Rob Robinson co-created the first Hemp Splash Environmental/Law Reform Protestival at Arrowhead Ranch in Parksville, NY.
Yes — Protestival.
Because when activism meets Deadhead energy, you don’t just protest. You celebrate resistance.
At Arrowhead Ranch, Rob learned event production alongside promoter legend Bill Graham and helped host events featuring artists like Phish, Blues Traveler, Ziggy Marley, Little Feat, The Band, and Richie Havens.
This wasn’t a hobby.
This was a masterclass in culture-building.
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The Cannabis Cup That Was Born Out of Pressure
In 1996, at the NY Harvest Festival & Freedom Fair, ABC World News Tonight showed up with Peter Jennings looking to interview cannabis growers.
Problem?
Under prohibition, nobody wanted to speak publicly.
So Rob pivoted.
If growers wouldn’t speak — let the flower speak.
That year marked the creation of the first-ever annual Cannabis Cup in the United States, organized by Rob Robinson and the team at Damn Sam Productions.
Today, that event stands as the longest-running Cannabis Cup in North America and the second longest-running in the world.
It ran for 24 years under prohibition.
That’s not luck.
That’s relentless commitment.
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“I Gather Our Community Together, Safely.”
When asked what role he plays in the industry, Rob keeps it simple:
“I gather our community together, safely.”
Public speaker.
Spoken word poet.
Grassroots activist.
Lobbyist for cannabis reform throughout his entire adult life until legalization arrived in New York in 2021.
And beyond the public work, there is family. In 2020, Rob Robinson met Emily Harper. Their partnership has evolved into a powerful blend of professionalism and magic — elevating events while maintaining the soul that built them.
The vibe stayed authentic.
The structure got sharper.
That balance is rare.
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What Makes the 518 Different?
According to Rob, it’s simple:
Unity and cooperation over competition.
The 518 cannabis community helps each other. Shares knowledge. Supports growers. Builds together.
In an era where many regions chase hype, the 518 builds legacy.
And Rob Robinson, through Damn Sam Productions, has been right in the center of that ecosystem.
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Legalization Didn’t Start the Movement
For over 30 years, Rob Robinson organized events under prohibition. Culture, as always, moved faster than law.
Now that legalization has arrived, there’s hope — but also work to be done.
Rob believes New York cannabis would benefit from a model similar to microbreweries and small wineries. Let legacy growers sell their own product. Let grassroots operators thrive. Build trust between community and industry.
And above all:
Remember the fight that got us here.
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What’s Next for Rob Robinson and Damn Sam Productions?
May 2nd marks the inaugural Growers Gathering in Palenville.
October 2026 brings the 30th Annual NY Harvest Fest Cannabis Cup — a milestone that very few in this country can claim.
Thirty years.
Most brands don’t last five.
Rob Robinson and Damn Sam Productions sustained a movement for three decades.
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Hall of Fame Status Is Earned
Rob Robinson didn’t arrive after legalization.
Rob didn’t wait until it was profitable.
Rob didn’t build community when it was easy.
The work was done when it was risky. When it required courage. When showing up meant something.
That’s why this recognition in the Cannabis Hall of Fame category isn’t symbolic.
It’s deserved.
From The Plug’s Pages Magazine to Rob Robinson and the Damn Sam Productions team:
Thank you for protecting the culture.
Thank you for building safe spaces before they were legally protected.
Thank you for fighting for freedoms many now enjoy casually.
If you’ve ever attended a New York cannabis event and felt safe, welcomed, and part of something bigger than yourself — understand that you’re standing inside a legacy that Rob Robinson helped build.
And that…
Is Hall of Fame material.
https://theticketing.co/e/growersgathering
https://www.instagram.com/ny_harvest_fest
— OG Strain