Have you heard about Tesla co-founder Elon Musk smoking pot on the Joe Rogan webcast? We’re kidding. Of course you have. The news has been all over the press with some mocking the billionaire’s newfound fondness for cannabis, while others celebrate his stepping out. Regardless of where you stand, it got us thinking of all the successful people who use cannabis and why Elon Musk is far from a new thing.
Cannabis users exist across business, science, sports, entertainment, politics and all other forms of work. As you’ll see from our short list of consumers below, they excel in all walks of life and have done so for decades. Maybe one day, detractors will realize that these successful folks are just the tiniest example of successful people who use cannabis.
Carl Sagan
The acclaimed astronomer, cosmologist, host of Cosmos, and much more, vocally spoke out for marijuana until he passed away in 1996. In 196, Sagan wrote an essay under the name Mr. X for the book Marihuana Reconsidered. In one excerpt, Sagan spoke to the power cannabis can have on the brain. He wrote, “There is a myth about such highs: the user has an illusion of great insight, but it does not survive scrutiny in the morning. I am convinced that this is an error and that the devastating insights achieved when high are real insights; the main problem is putting these insights in a form acceptable to the quite different self that we are when we’re down the next day.” This would become one of many stances on the issue he would take until his passing, becoming more public over time.
Whoopi Goldberg
The comedy icon and current co-host of the View is also the co-founder of California cannabis brand Whoopi and Maya, alongside the founder of Om Edibles, Maya Elisabeth. The two joined forces to address women’s menstrual discomfort and have grown into one of the premier names in the emerging medical cannabis space. In 2017, Goldberg told Rolling Stone that “Periods affect your life, affect your productivity,” Goldberg said. “We need to talk about this.”
Goldberg has long been a cannabis user. So much so that in 2014, the comedian wrote a love letter to her vape pen for an article in The Cannabist. In the piece, Goldberg wrote, “The vape pen has changed my life. No, I’m not exaggerating. In fact, her name is Sippy. Yes, she’s a she. And yes, I named her Sippy because I take tiny, little sips — sassy sips, even — from her. And with each sip comes relief — from pressure, pain, stress, discomfort.”
Marvin Washington
After retiring from the NFL after 11 seasons as a defensive end, Marvin Washington’s body was in dire need of relief. The Super Bowl champion found that relief in cannabidiol, or CBD to most of us. In the years following, Washington became one of the industry’s leading voices in the press and at public events. Additionally, he was one of the plaintiffs in an unsuccessful 2018 attempt to reschedule cannabis on the federal level.
Today, Washington is an athlete ambassador for the organization Athletes For Care and co-owns numerous ventures in the cannabis space. This includes a recent appointment to the board of directors for Isodiol, a leader in the CBD space.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga has been open about her cannabis over the years. The uber talented singer and actress used cannabis to self-medicate to deal with anxiety as well as a hip injury at one time. She admits that her use became an addiction, coupled with the hip pain where she consumed “15-20 marijuana cigarettes” a day. However, she has curtailed her use some and continues to use it for recreational purposes in addition to treating her fibromyalgia.
Richard Branson
Businessperson and activist Richard Branson is not only a member of the Global Drug Commission, but he’s also a cannabis user himself. In 2007, Branson explained how Keith Richards taught him to roll a joint and how tagging along on his son’s gap year led to incredible times together. “We learned to surf and had some nights where we laughed our heads off for eight hours.”
In the years following, Branson has advocated for children smoking with their parents rather than alone and has been a staunch critic of the war on drugs. This includes taking the current United States administration to task for re-engaging in old-era tactics.
Gary Johnson
The libertarian presidential candidate and former Governor of New Mexico has long supported the legalization of cannabis and has even served as the CEO of a cannabis product company, Cannabis Sativa, Inc. Recently, Johnson re-entered that New Mexico political ring after two unsuccessful attempts for the U.S. presidency. Now, he aims to win a Senate seat in New Mexico. However, Johnson has recently had to disclose his investments and connections to the cannabis industry as it worried a sizable percentage of potential voters. We’ll see how he fares this time around.
That’s Just Some of the Successful People Who Use Cannabis
Cannabis patients and recreational users alike have long known that you certainly can be successful and consume. Now, with the stigma eroding, these successful folks and everyday users help further demonstrate the positives of cannabis use. While there does remain a good deal of stigmatization around cannabis, we all can do our part by consuming and thriving as human beings.
Remember, while these individuals are the successful people who use cannabis, they are far from the only ones who succeed. Every day people like you and me that live their best lives while consuming are just as qualified to make the list. Because that’s all that matters: living your best life. And thanks to medical cannabis people are able to do just that.
