Yoko Ono and John Lennon at John Sinclair Freedom Rally

Following is a list of

cannabis rights Cannabis rights or marijuana rights (sometimes more specifically cannabis consumer rights or stoner rights) are individual civil rights that vary by jurisdiction. The rights of people who consume cannabis include the right to be free from emplo ...

leaders, and activists in the

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...

legalization movement, including business leaders and celebrities who advocate for ending cannabis

prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...

Cannabis rights leaders

''Cannabis rights leaders, listed by country:''

Argentina

* Matías Faray

Australia

* Michael Balderstone * Richard Friar * Nevil Schoenmakers * Blake “ ChillinIT” Turnell

Canada

Riley Cote Riley D. Cote is a former Canadian professional ice hockey left winger and formerly an assistant coach with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL). He played four National Hockey League (NHL) seasons with the Philadelph ...

Jodie Emery Jodie Emery (born January 4, 1985) is a Canadian cannabis rights activist and politician. She is the former spouse of fellow activist Marc Emery. Until the business was shut down by police, the couple were co-owners of Cannabis Culture, a busin ...

Marc Emery Marc Scott Emery (born February 13, 1958) is a Canadian cannabis rights Legality of cannabis, activist, entrepreneur and politician. Often described as the "Prince of Pot", Emery has been a notable advocate of international Cannabis (drug), cann ...

Mike Harcourt Michael Franklin Harcourt Officer of the Order of Canada, OC (born January 6, 1943) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 30th premier of British Columbia from 1991 to 1996, and before that as the 34th List of mayors of Vancouver ...

* Grant Krieger * Dana Larsen * Blair Longley *

Ron Mann Ronald Mann (born June 13, 1958) is a Canadians, Canadian documentary film film director, director. His work includes the films ''Imagine the Sound'' (1981); ''Comic Book Confidential'' (1988); ''Grass (1999 film), Grass'' (1999) and ''Go Furt ...

* Abi Roach *

Seth Rogen Seth Aaron Rogen (; born April 15, 1982) is a Canadian actor, comedian, and filmmaker. Known primarily for his comedic Leading actor, leading man roles in films, the accolades he has received include nominations for three Golden Globe Awards, ...

* Caryma Sa'd * Marc-Boris St-Maurice *

Hugô St-Onge Hugô St-Onge is a politician in Quebec, Canada. Since 2002, he has been the leader of the Bloc pot. The Bloc pot is a Quebec political party dedicated to the end of marijuana prohibition. He founded in 1999 along with other Bloc pot activists th ...

* Brian Taylor *

John Turmel John C. Turmel (born February 22, 1951) is a perennial candidate for election in Canada, and according to the ''Guinness World Records'' holds the records for the most elections contested and for the most elections lost, having contested 112 el ...

Val Venis Sean Allen Morley (born March 6, 1971), better known by his ring name Val Venis, is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/WWE) from 1998 to 20 ...

Czech Republic

* Lukáš Hurt * Bob Hýsek

France

* Jean-Pierre Galland * Farid Ghehiouèche * Safia Lebdi * Michel Sitbon

Germany

Angela Gossow Angela Nathalie Gossow (born 5 November 1974) is a German vocalist, best known as the former lead singer for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her other previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress. Early life Angela Gossow was b ...

* Georg Wurth

Hungary

* Juhász Péter

Ireland

Ubi Dwyer William Ubique Dwyer (21 January 1933 – 13 October 2001), known as Ubi Dwyer, was an Irish anarchist active in New Zealand, Australia, England and Ireland best known as the originator and principal organiser of the Windsor Free Festival. Ea ...

* Luke "Ming" Flanagan * Gino Kenny *

William Brooke O'Shaughnessy Sir William Brooke O'Shaughnessy (from 1861 as William O'Shaughnessy Brooke) (October 1809 – 8 January 1889) was an Irish physician famous for his wide-ranging scientific work in pharmacology, chemistry, and inventions related to telegraphy an ...

Israel

Raphael Mechoulam Raphael Mechoulam (; 5 November 1930 – 9 March 2023) was a Bulgarian-born Israeli organic chemist and a professor in the Department of Natural Materials at the School of Pharmacy in the Faculty of Medicine of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. ...

Jamaica

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...

Peter Tosh Winston Hubert McIntosh (19 October 1944 – 11 September 1987), professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band Bob Marley and the Wa ...

Japan

Saya Takagi . She is a Japanese actress turned activist for the legalization of cannabis in Japan. Biography Saya Takagi started smoking cannabis when she was 17.

* Junichi Takayasu

Netherlands

Frits Bolkestein Frederik "Frits" Bolkestein (; 4 April 1933 – 17 February 2025) was a Dutch politician and energy executive who served as Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) from 1990 to 1998 and List of European Commissioners by nati ...

Dries van Agt Andreas Antonius Maria "Dries" van Agt (; 2 February 1931 – 5 February 2024) was a Dutch politician, jurist and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 19 December 1977 until 4 November 1982. He was a prominent leader o ...

* Herman George " Armand" van Loenhout * Simon Vinkenoog

New Zealand

* Michael Appleby * Abe Gray * Dakta Green * Rose Renton *

Chlöe Swarbrick Chlöe Charlotte Swarbrick (born 26 June 1994) is a New Zealand politician. Following a high-profile but unsuccessful run for the 2016 Auckland mayoral election, she became a parliamentary candidate for the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, ...

Nándor Tánczos Nándor Steven Tánczos (, ; born 29 May 1966) is a New Zealander, New Zealand social ecologist, researcher, educator, activist and political commentator. He is currently a councillor in the Whakatāne District Council. He is also co-director o ...

Metiria Turei Metiria Leanne Agnes Stanton Turei (born 1970) is a New Zealand academic and former politician. She was a Member of Parliament from 2002 to 2017 and the female co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand from 2009 to 2017. Turei resig ...

Norway

Thorvald Stoltenberg Thorvald Stoltenberg (8 July 1931 – 13 July 2018) was a Norwegian politician and diplomat. He served as Minister of Defence from 1979 to 1981 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1987 to 1989 and again from 1990 to 1993 in two Labour governmen ...

South Africa

* Lee Harris

Spain

* Antonio Escohotado * Fernanda de la Figuera * Albert Tió

Sweden

Joar Forssell ''Joar'' Nils Arvid Karlsson Forssell (born 17 February 1993) is a Swedish politician and a member of the Swedish parliament. Between 6 August 2016 and 18 August 2019 he was chairperson of LUF, Liberal Youth of Sweden. In the 2018 parliamenta ...

Nyamko Sabuni Nyamko Ana Sabuni (born 31 March 1969) is a Swedish politician who was Leader of the Liberals between June 2019 and April 2022. She previously served as Minister for Integration from 2006 to 2010 and as Minister for Gender Equality from 2006 t ...

* Sara Skyttedal

United Kingdom

* Stephen Abrams *

Richard Branson Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is an English business magnate who co-founded the Virgin Group in 1970, and controlled 5 companies remaining of once more than 400. Branson expressed his desire to become an entrepreneu ...

* Paul Flynn *

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...

* Clare Hodges *

Norman Lamb Sir Norman Peter Lamb (born 16 September 1957) is a British politician and solicitor. He was the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament (MP) for North Norfolk from 2001 to 2019, and was the chair of the Science and Technology Select Commit ...

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

Howard Marks Dennis Howard Marks (13 August 1945 – 10 April 2016) was a Welsh drug smuggler and author who achieved notoriety as an international Cannabis (drug), cannabis smuggler through high-profile court cases. At his peak he claimed to have been sm ...

* Don Barry Mason *

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, us ...

* Dean "

Black the Ripper Dean West (28 December 1986 – April 2020), better known by his stage name Black the Ripper, was a British rapper, grime emcee, activist, cannabis activist, and entrepreneur from Edmonton, London. He ran his own record label, Dank of England ...

" West * Kevin Williamson

United States

''American cannabis rights leaders, listed by state:''

Alabama

Loretta Nall Loretta Nall is the founder of the U.S. Marijuana Party, which calls for the legalization of cannabis. She was a write-in candidate for governor of Alabama in 2006. History Nall founded the USMjParty in 2002. In 2005, she co-founded Alabamian ...

Alaska

Charlo Greene Charlo Greene (born Charlene Egbe in Lagos, Nigeria) is a Nigerian-American businesswoman and former reporter/anchor for KTVA television in Anchorage, Alaska. Greene received media notice after she quit her job on-air in September 2014 while c ...

* Irwin Ravin

Arizona

* Caroline Killeen *

Jake Plummer Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer (born December 19, 1974) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils. Pl ...

Arkansas

Joycelyn Elders Minnie Joycelyn Elders (born Minnie Lee Jones; August 13, 1933) is an American pediatrics, pediatrician and public health administrator who served as Surgeon General of the United States from 1993 to 1994. A Vice Admiral (United States), vice admi ...

California

Tom Ammiano Tom Ammiano (born December 15, 1941) is an American politician and LGBT rights activist from San Francisco, California. Ammiano, a member of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus, served as a member of the California State Assembly from 2008 t ...

* Nicole Aniston * Paul Armentano * Ngaio Bealum * Doug Benson *

Eddie Bravo Edgar Bravo (Birth name, né Cano; born May 15, 1970) is an American martial arts instructor, podcaster, stand-up comedian, and musician. After earning a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2003, Bravo began teaching his own self-developed styl ...

* Calvin "

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...

" Broadus Jr. * Jay Cavanaugh *

Tommy Chong Thomas B. Kin Chong (born May 24, 1938) is a Canadian-American comedian, actor, musician and activist. He is known for his role/inspiration in the marijuana industry, his Cannabis (drug), marijuana-themed Cheech & Chong comedy albums and movie ...

* Chris Conrad *

Valerie Corral Valerie Leveroni Corral (born 1953) is an American medical cannabis activist and writer. Nieves 2001. As a young adult she experienced a traumatic head injury that left her with a seizure disorder that antiepileptic medication could not ameliorate ...

* Steve DeAngelo *

Nate Diaz Nathan Donald Diaz (born April 16, 1985) is an American mixed martial artist and professional boxer who is currently a free agent. Diaz is most known for his time spent fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he fought for ov ...

Nick Diaz Nicholas Robert Diaz (born August 2, 1983) is an American professional boxer and mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Diaz is a former Strikeforce, WEC and ...

* Lowell Eggemeier * Scott Feil * Louis "

B-Real Louis Mario Freese (born June 2, 1970), known by his stage name B-Real, is an American rapper. Since 1991, he has been one of two lead rappers in the hip hop group Cypress Hill, along with Sen Dog. He has also been a part of the rap metal ban ...

" Freese * Fred Gardner * James Gray *

Al Harrington Albert Harrington (born February 17, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player. Selected with the 25th overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, Harrington played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Indiana ...

* Jack Herer * Jay Evan "

Laganja Estranja Jay Evan Jackson, known professionally as Laganja Estranja (born December 28, 1988), is an American choreographer and drag queen based in Los Angeles. Laganja competed on the sixth season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', finishing in eighth place. Sh ...

" Jackson *

George Clayton Johnson George Clayton Johnson (July 10, 1929 – December 25, 2015) was an American science fiction writer, who co-wrote with William F. Nolan the novel '' Logan's Run'', the basis for the MGM 1976 film. He also wrote television scripts for ''The Tw ...

Paul Kantner Paul Lorin Kantner (March 17, 1941 – January 28, 2016) was an American rock musician. He is best known as the co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and a secondary vocalist of Jefferson Airplane, a leading psychedelic rock band of the counterculture of ...

Paul Krassner Paul Krassner (April 9, 1932 – July 21, 2019) was an American writer and satirist. He was the founder, editor, and a frequent contributor to the freethought magazine ''The Realist'', first published in 1958. Krassner became a key figure in t ...

Steve Kubby Steven Wynn "Steve" Kubby (December 28, 1946 – November 20, 2022) was a Libertarian Party activist who played a key role in the drafting and passage of California Proposition 215. The proposition was a ballot initiative to legalize medical mar ...

* Kyle Kushman *

Barbara Lee Barbara Jean Lee (; born July 16, 1946) is an American politician who has served as the 52nd mayor of Oakland since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Lee previously served as a United States House of Repr ...

* Richard Lee *

Lucky Lehrer Keith "Lucky" Lehrer (born 18 April 1958) is a drummer from Los Angeles, California associated with several influential LA punk rock bands. He was originally trained in jazz then played in a number of LA punk rock bands, particularly the Circle ...

* Charles C. Lynch *

Seth MacFarlane Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (; born October 26, 1973) is an American actor, animator, writer, producer, director, comedian, and singer. He is best known as the creator and star of the television series ''Family Guy'' (since 1999) and ''The Orvill ...

* Allison Margolin *

Terence McKenna Terence Kemp McKenna (November 16, 1946–April 3, 2000) was an American ethnobotanist and mystic who advocated for the responsible use of naturally occurring psychedelic plants and mushrooms. He spoke and wrote about a variety of subjects, ...

Jim McMahon James Robert McMahon Jr. (born August 21, 1959) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, most notably with the Chicago Bears. McMahon played col ...

* Peter McWilliams * Steve McWilliams * Christine "Sister Kate" Meeusen * Tod Mikuriya * Mikki Norris *

Dennis Peron Dennis Robert Peron (April 8, 1945 – January 27, 2018) was an American activist and businessman who became a leader in the movement for the legalization of cannabis throughout the 1990s. He influenced many in California and thus changed ...

Michelle Phillips Holly Michelle Phillips ( Gilliam; born June 4, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Described by ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine as the "purest soprano in pop music", she rose to fame in the mid-1960s with the folk rock vocal ...

* Mary Jane "

Brownie Mary Mary Jane Rathbun (December 22, 1922 – April 10, 1999), popularly known as Brownie Mary, was an American medical cannabis rights activist. As a hospital volunteer at San Francisco General Hospital, she became known for baking and distrib ...

" Rathbun * Rudy Reyes *

Henry Rollins Henry Lawrence Garfield (born February 13, 1961), known professionally as Henry Rollins, is an American singer, writer, spoken word artist, actor, comedian, and presenter. After performing in the short-lived hardcore punk band State of Alert in 1 ...

Ed Rosenthal Edward "Ed" Rosenthal (born December 2, 1944) is an American horticulturist, author, publisher, and ''Cannabis'' grower known for his advocacy for the legalization of Cannabis (drug), marijuana use. He served as a columnist for ''High Times, Hig ...

Jerry Rubin Jerry Clyde Rubin (July 14, 1938 – November 28, 1994) was an American social activist, anti-war leader, and counterculture icon during the 1960s and early 1970s. Despite being known for holding radical views when he was a political activist, h ...

Frank Shamrock Frank Shamrock (born Frank Alisio Juarez III; December 8, 1972) is an American former professional mixed martial artist. Shamrock was the first to hold the UFC Middleweight Championship (later renamed the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship) ...

* Cheryl Shuman *

John Sperling John Glen Sperling (January 9, 1921 – August 22, 2014) was an American billionaire businessman who is credited with having led the contemporary for-profit education movement in the United States The fortune he amassed was based on his founding ...

* Kyle Turley * Marc Wasserman *

George Zimmer George Zimmer (born November 21, 1948) is an American businessman. He is the founder, former executive chairman (1973–2013) and former CEO (1973–2011) of the Men's Wearhouse, a clothing retailer with more than 1,200 stores in the US and Cana ...

Colorado

* William " Wayward Bill" Chengelis * Mark Elworth Jr. * Krystal Gabel * Rachel K. Gillette * Ken Gorman *

Steven Hager Steven Hager (born May 25, 1951, Illinois) is an American writer, journalist, filmmaker, and counterculture and cannabis rights activist. He is known for his long association with ''High Times'' magazine. Biography Early life and education Hag ...

* Christian Hageseth * Nate Jackson * Wanda James * Laura Kriho * Sal Pace * Jessica Peck *

Jared Polis Jared Schutz Polis ( ; ; born May 12, 1975) is an American politician and businessman serving as the 43rd governor of Colorado since 2019. He served one term on the Colorado State Board of Education from 2001 to 2007, and five terms as the Unite ...

* Mason Tvert * Brian Vicente *

Marvin Washington Marvin Andrew Washington (born October 22, 1965) is an American former professional football defensive end who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected in the sixth round of the 1989 NFL draft, and played eigh ...

* Jane West

Florida

* Steve Berke * Eben Britton * Mike James * Norm Kent * Peter B. Lewis * John Morgan * Robert Randall

Georgia

Sanjay Gupta Sanjay Gupta (born October 23, 1969) is an American neurosurgeon, medical reporter, and writer. He serves as associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, associate professor of neurosurgery at ...

Cheryl Miller Cheryl Deann Miller (born January 3, 1964) is an American former basketball player. She was formerly a sideline reporter for NBA on TNT, NBA games on Turner Sports, TNT Sports and also works for NBA TV as a reporter and analyst, having worked ...

Asher Roth Asher Paul Roth (born August 11, 1985) is an American rapper from Morrisville, Pennsylvania. He is best known for his 2009 debut single " I Love College," which peaked at number 12 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and foresaw the birth of frat ra ...

Hawaii

* Roger Christie *

Woody Harrelson Woodrow Tracy Harrelson (born July 23, 1961) is an American actor. He first became known for his role as bartender Woody Boyd on the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1985–1993), for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in ...

* Andrew Simmons

Illinois

* Mezz Mezzrow * Jim " Chef Ra" Wilson Jr.

Iowa

* George McMahon

Kansas

* Shona Banda

Kentucky

* Dan Jack Combs *

Gatewood Galbraith Louis Gatewood Galbraith (January 23, 1947 – January 4, 2012) was an American author and attorney from the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. He was a five-time political candidate for governor of Kentucky and a vocal advocate for legalization of ...

Dakota Meyer Dakota Louis Meyer (born June 26, 1988) is a current United States Marine. A veteran of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), War in Afghanistan, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Ganjgal on September 8, 2009 ...

Maryland

Montel Williams Montel Brian Anthony Williams (born July 3, 1956) is an American television host and actor. He is known for hosting the daytime tabloid talk show '' The Montel Williams Show'', which ran in syndication from 1991 to 2008. He currently hosts ''T ...

* Kevin Zeese

Massachusetts

* Constance Bumgarner Gee * Jack A. Cole * Greta Gaines *

Lester Grinspoon Lester Grinspoon (June 24, 1928 – June 25, 2020) was an American psychiatrist and longstanding associate professor of Harvard Medical School, psychiatry at Harvard University who is best known for his groundbreaking work on the science and ...

* Vermin Love Supreme * Daniel " Danny Danko" Vinkovetsky

Michigan

* Tom Crosslin * John Sinclair

Minnesota

* John Birrenbach * Jim Carlson * Tim Davis * James "

Jesse Ventura Jesse Ventura (born James George Janos; July 15, 1951) is an American politician, political commentator, actor, media personality, and retired professional wrestler. After achieving fame in the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), he ...

" Janos *

Dennis Schuller Minnesota Legal Marijuana Now! is a political Third party (United States), third party in the U.S. state of Minnesota established in 1998 to oppose drug prohibition. They are formally recognized as a minor party. Minnesota Legal Marijuana Now! b ...

Will Shetterly Will Shetterly (born 1955) is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction best known for his novel '' Dogland'' (1997). The novel is inspired by his childhood at the tourist attraction Dog Land owned by his parents. He won the Minnesota B ...

* Anthony Walsh *

Chris Wright Christopher Allen Wright (born January 15, 1965) is an American government official, engineer, and businessman serving as the 17th United States Secretary of Energy, United States secretary of energy since 2025. Before his appointment, he was th ...

Nebraska

Donald Fiedler Donald Bruce Fiedler (February 2, 1943 - May 15, 2008) was an American cannabis rights activist. In 1989, he succeeded Jon Gettman as the executive director of NORML The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML ) is a soci ...

Nevada

* Joseph N. Crowley

New Hampshire

* Abdullah Saeed

New Jersey

Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker (born April 27, 1969) is an American politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from New Jersey, a seat he has held since 2013. A member of the Democ ...

* Ed " NJWeedman" Forchion * David L. Nathan * Ken Wolski

New Mexico

Gary Johnson Gary Earl Johnson (born January 1, 1953) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 29th List of governors of New Mexico, governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003 as a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republica ...

New York

* Dana Beal * Kristin M. Davis * Jacqueline " Coca Crystal" Diamond *

Ann Druyan Ann Druyan ( ; born June 13, 1949) is an American documentary producer and director specializing in the communication of science. She co-wrote the 1980 PBS documentary series ''Cosmos'', hosted by Carl Sagan, whom she married in 1981. She i ...

Abby Epstein Abby Epstein is a film director and producer most known for working in the field of the documentary. Her film ''The Business of Being Born'', which deals with the birth process in American hospitals, is one of her most widely known and acclaimed f ...

Allen Ginsberg Irwin Allen Ginsberg (; June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet and writer. As a student at Columbia University in the 1940s, he began friendships with Lucien Carr, William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, forming the core of th ...

* Gary " Tom Forçade" Goodson *

Abbie Hoffman Abbot Howard Hoffman (November 30, 1936 – April 12, 1989) was an American political and social activist who co-founded the Youth International Party ("Yippies") and was a member of the Chicago Seven. He was also a leading proponent of the ...

* Thomas K. Leighton *

Bill Maher William MaherStated on ''Finding Your Roots'', January 12, 2016, PBS; on a series that lists "Jr." and "Sr." distinctions, Bill Maher's birth name was listed simply as William Maher, while his father was William Aloysius Maher Jr., and his pa ...

Ethan Nadelmann Ethan A. Nadelmann (born March 13, 1957) is the founder of the Drug Policy Alliance, a New York City-based non-profit organization working to end the War on Drugs. He is a supporter of the legalization of marijuana in America. Early life Nadel ...

* Anthony Papa * David Peel *

Carl Sagan Carl Edward Sagan (; ; November 9, 1934December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is his research on the possibility of extraterrestrial life, including e ...

Ed Sanders Edward Sanders (born August 17, 1939) is an American poet, singer, activist, author, publisher and longtime member of the rock band the Fugs. He has been called a bridge between the Beat and hippie generations. Sanders is considered to have bee ...

* Larry Sharpe *

North Carolina

* Sean Haugh

Ohio

John Boehner John Andrew Boehner ( ; born , 1949) is an American politician who served as the 53rd speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served 13 terms as the U.S. representative ...

Steve Conliff Steven Conliff (November 24, 1949 – June 1, 2006) was a Midwestern-based Native American writer, historian, social satirist, alternative-media publisher and political activist in the 1960s and 1970s. Conliff is chiefly remembered for throwing ...

Oregon

Earl Blumenauer Earl Francis Blumenauer ( ; born August 16, 1948) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for from 1996 to 2025. The district includes most of Portland, Oregon, ...

Madeline Martinez Madeline Martinez is an American cannabis rights activist. Career Martinez worked as correctional officer in California, before retiring and focusing on cannabis activism. Martinez is a longtime advocate for the legalization of cannabis. She sta ...

* Elvy Musikka * Clifford Robinson * Malcom Gregory Scott * Allen St. Pierre * Paul Stanford * George " Jorge Cervantes" Van Patten

Pennsylvania

Gisele Fetterman Gisele Barreto Fetterman (; born February 27, 1982) is a Brazilian-born American activist and nonprofit executive. She is a founder of the non-profit Freestore 15104 and a co-founder of the non-profits For Good PGH and 412 Food Rescue. She is ...

Kiyoshi Kuromiya Kiyoshi Kuromiya (, May 9, 1943 – May 10, 2000) was a Japanese-American author and civil rights, anti-war, gay liberation, and HIV/AIDS activist. Born in Wyoming at the World War II–era Japanese American internment camp known as Heart Mo ...

* Maj Toure

South Dakota

* Alex White Plume

Tennessee

Stephen Gaskin Stephen Gaskin (February 16, 1935 – July 1, 2014) was an American counterculture Hippie icon best known for his presence in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco in the 1960s and for co-founding " The Farm", a spiritual commune in 1970. ...

Derrick Morgan Derrick Morgan OD (born 27 March 1940)Walters, Basil (2012)A New Day – Songs heralding JA’s Independence", ''Jamaica Observer'', 3 June 2012, retrieved 3 June 2012 is a Jamaican musical artist who was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. He w ...

Texas

* Barry Cooper *

Brian Cuban Brian Cuban (born January 11, 1961) is an American attorney, author, speaker, and activist. He is an authority on male eating disorders, drug addiction, drug rehabilitation, and alcoholism. He is a lawyer and activist in the areas of First Amend ...

* Joe Gaddy *

Larry Hagman Larry Martin Hagman (September 21, 1931 – November 23, 2012) was an American actor, best known for playing ruthless oil baron J. R. Ewing in the 1978–1991 primetime television soap opera ''Dallas'', and the handsome astronaut Major Anthon ...

Ann Lee Ann Lee (29 February 1736 – 8 September 1784), commonly known as Mother Ann Lee, was the founding leader of the Shakers, later changed to United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing following her death. She was born during ...

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...

* Joe Ptak * Brett Stahl * Jeffrey "Zeal" Stefanoff * Mark Stepnoski

Vermont

* Cris Ericson * Robert Melamede

Virginia

* Arthur Kleps * Michael Krawitz * Eugene Monroe

Washington

Alison Holcomb Alison Holcomb has served as criminal justice director of American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Washington and in 2014 was named national director of the ACLU Campaign to End Mass Incarceration. Holcomb wrote Washington Initiative 502, Initiative ...

* Vivian McPeak *

Norm Stamper Norman Harvey Stamper (born 1944) is an American former chief of police, writer, law enforcement consultant, and advocate for criminal justice reform. Biography Stamper is known for his role as Chief of the Seattle Police Department (1994–2000 ...

Rick Steves Richard John Steves Jr. (born May 10, 1955), known professionally as Rick Steves, is an American travel writer, activist, and television personality. His travel philosophy encourages people to explore less-frequented areas of destinations and ...

* Karen Stratton

Washington, D.C.

Erik Altieri Erik Altieri is an American political activist, public speaker, and advocate for cannabis reform. He served as the executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) from November 2016 to March 2023, during w ...

* Richard Cowan * Adam Eidinger * Rob Kampia * Nikolas Schiller *

Keith Stroup Keith Stroup is an American attorney and founder of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Biography After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1965, he enrolled in Georgetown Law School and worked in the office of I ...

* William Creighton Woodward

West Virginia

Jon Gettman Jon B. Gettman (born August 20, 1957) is a marijuana rights activist, a leader of the Coalition for Rescheduling Cannabis, and a former head of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. He has a PhD in public policy and regiona ...

Wisconsin

Ben Masel Bennett A. “Ben” Masel (October 17, 1954 – April 30, 2011) was an American writer, publisher, cannabis rights and free speech activist, expert witness for marijuana defendants, and frequent candidate for public office. A skilled chess playe ...

* Jacki Rickert

Sources

External links

Cannabis Culture Awards

History of NORML Awards (1998-2017)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cannabis rights leaders * Rights leaders Lists of activists