Lucas Strazzeri: A Journey Through Tradition, Authenticity, and Cannabis Culture

Early Beginnings and the First Journey

My name is Lucas Strazzeri, born in 1985 in Grenoble, France. I am a wandering photographer with a deep passion for tradition, authenticity, and the stories that connect people across cultures. My journey began at the age of 20 when I embarked on a life-changing adventure with a one-way ticket to India, planning to return home overland. That journey led me to Pakistan, where I discovered the warmth of its people, the richness of its cuisine, and the breathtaking beauty of Islamic architecture. Attending a Sufi Night in Lahore sparked a lifelong fascination with Sufism and set the tone for my travels through Peshawar, the Hunza Valley, Pakistani Kashmir, Chitral, and the cannabis fields of Mastuj.

It was a time when the Khyber Pass was still open to travelers, and the hash markets of Landi Kotal were alive with activity. My brief kidnapping there only deepened my curiosity about the region’s cannabis culture. After traveling through Iran, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, I returned to France, only to set off again with another one-way ticket to India. Political shifts in Pakistan redirected me to Lebanon and Syria in 2008, where I immersed myself in the stories of the Beqaa Valley’s hashish farmers, whose tales of the hippie era were as intoxicating as their product.

Between California and Asia

From 2009 to 2011, I lived in Berlin but continued to explore, returning to Pakistan in 2010 to travel through its southern regions, visiting Sufi shrines. However, the mood had shifted dramatically since my earlier travels, and the country felt increasingly tense. A bomb explosion in Peshawar reminded me of the risks I was taking. In 2012, I spent a year between San Diego and Tijuana, earning a diploma to teach French as a foreign language. This led me to Mangalore, South India, where I taught for six months while exploring the region on weekends. Back in France, I worked as an English teacher for five years, with occasional trips to India and a memorable road trip to Morocco, where I stayed with a hashish producer in the Rif region.

Discovering Photography

In 2015, I began to take photography more seriously, collaborating with a friend to produce photo reports on the European Sound System scene. This marked the start of my professional journey into photography. I invested in quality equipment, honed my post-processing skills, and began to capture the details that had always captivated me during my travels. By 2018, I felt the pull of Afghanistan once again, this time with the goal of documenting its cannabis culture during the harvest season. The result was a collection of photographs that exceeded my expectations.

Afghanistan: Fortress of Cannabis

Though initial attempts to publish these images through traditional outlets were unsuccessful, I took matters into my own hands and self-published Afghanistan: Fortress of Cannabis. The first edition sold around 200 copies, with proceeds used to share the book with cannabis activists and authors. The project gained traction, earning praise from figures like Robert C. Clarke, Ed Rosenthal, and Frenchy Cannoli. My work was featured in Soft Secrets, Cannabis Now, and Vice, and three of my photographs were included in Ed Rosenthal’s Cannabis Grower’s Handbook.

Focusing on Cannabis Photography

During the pandemic, I deepened my focus on cannabis photography, investing in macro lenses and focus stacking technology to create highly detailed images of dry buds, trichomes, and concentrates. I began collaborating with underground seedbanks, helping them showcase their work through compelling visuals. As the CBD market grows in France and Switzerland, and with the hope of more progressive cannabis regulations across Europe, I continue to seek collaborations with innovative companies that value authenticity and sustainability.

The New Chapter: Touring and Expanding the Book

In November 2022, I released an updated version of Afghanistan: Fortress of Cannabis, with expanded content and a higher page count. Since then, I’ve been touring extensively to promote the book, from major European cannabis fairs to the Emerald Cup in California and expos in Brazil. A Portuguese edition, published by Editora Vista Chinesa, was released in Brazil in November 2024. As of early 2025, fewer than 100 copies of the physical edition remain, but digital versions are available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and German through my website and major ebook platforms.

Future Projects and Vision

Looking ahead, I aim to continue documenting cannabis culture and its intersections with tradition and sustainability. My work is driven by a desire to share the stories of the people and places that inspire me, and to contribute to a deeper understanding of the plant that has shaped so many lives across the globe.

For more information or collaborations, feel free to reach out. Let’s continue this journey together.