Canna Pop Culture: Who’s Smokin’
by Ayriese Smith
“Yep, I did quit. For almost two years. No smoking, no vaping.
And then I ran into [Willie Nelson] and that was that.”
-Woody Harrelson
Why do you smoke? Is it for medical purposes? To connect with yourself spiritually? Possibly a cultural practice or to open yourself up more creatively? Or maybe, you just enjoy partaking and enjoying all the benefits the plan has to offer? Whatever the reason, those same reasons extend to the celebrities we all watch and adore. Many of our most “famous” are joining the fight for federal legalization and to decrease the demonization of pot. Some of the people on this list have been widely known proponents of our little plant and others have been sleeper agents advocating from the back!
Snoop Dogg
Starting with someone whose name is almost synonymous with weed culture at this point in his illustrative career. Mr. Doggy Dog is the owner of three brands! G-Pen, an electric vaporizer, Leafs by Snoop, a flower brand; and Merry Jane, a cannabis-focused digital media program. Reportedly, he has his first smoke at 8 years old and has been smoking ever since. Since being legal, he has hired a personal roller, and he has said our next entry is the only person who has outsmoked him.
Willie Nelson
Another brand owner is Willie Nelson! At 91 years old and still touring, we have our eldest on the list! Mr. Nelson has gone from being jailed for weed in 1974 to owning a brand, Willie’s Reserve, in 2015. Mr. Nelson also statedthat weed saved his life after he gave up smoking and drinking in 1978. Weed, he says, helps him “delete and fast forward,” which is his way of saying forgive and move on.
Seth Rogen
The King of Stoner Films! Many of Mr. Rogen’s films seem to be shot through a hazy, smoke-covered lens. The owner of Houseplant since 2019, he has gone on to make his name a staple in the community. A big proponent of legalization, he has worked with organizations such as the Marijuana Policy Project. Mr. Rogen posies himself as a pinnacle of integrity and social justice within the stoner community. He constantly points out the discrepancies in imprisonment for marijuana charges.
Melissa Etheridge
Singer-songwriter states smoking helped her get through her breast cancer treatments in 2004. Yet another brand owner! She co-founded Etheridge Botanicals in 2021, a holistic lifestyle brand. Ms. Etheridge credits a plate of cookies in 2003 to a complete spiritual transformation that has helped her create her own mantra: everything, even the bad stuff, is made of love and it’s up to you to choose to see it.
A smokin’ hot group
A short list of 4 smokin’ celebrities that demonstrate a variety of needs being met. Mr. Nelson’s habit allowed him to be kinder to himself and others, thus saving his life. Mr. Doggy Dog, it was a large part of his culture, and in turn, he became a larger part of the culture. For Ms. Etheridge, it was a life-saving measure that opened her to a life she didn’t know was there. Regardless of the reason for smoking, Mr. Rogen identifies the need for equitable and sustainable practices that are currently being overlooked. So why are you smokin’ and how can you ensure that your favorite green stays accessible? Join us next time on Cannapop to find out!
You might have noticed that this list is quite… white and male dominated and that was purposeful. Women are often overlooked in the marijuana community and even condemned when partaking. There are many women in these spaces and we will take time to identify these trailblazers to the masses. Unfortunately, the commercial marijuana community is extremely white and this is in large part due to systemic issues. We will be discussing these issues in the next edition of Cannacation; our article series to provide cannabis education.
