Top Cannabis Celebrities
๐ Top Celebrities in Cannabis
1. Snoop Dogg
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Why: Snoop is synonymous with cannabis culture. He's been rapping about weed since the early '90s and has built a lifestyle brand around it.
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Business Moves: Founded Leafs By Snoop, a cannabis brand, and launched Casa Verde Capital, an investment firm focused on cannabis startups.
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Impact: Helped normalize cannabis use across mainstream media and generations.
2. Willie Nelson
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Why: One of the earliest celebrity cannabis advocates, Nelson has supported legalization for decades.
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Business Moves: Created Willie's Reserve, offering flower, vape products, and edibles.
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Impact: Represents the โrespect the plantโ movement โ focusing on organic, traditional, small-batch growers.
3. Seth Rogen
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Why: Built his career on stoner comedies like Pineapple Express and This Is the End.
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Business Moves: Co-founded Houseplant, a cannabis and lifestyle brand offering carefully curated strains and chic smoking accessories.
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Impact: Elevated cannabis branding into modern, design-focused lifestyle territory.
4. Berner (Gilbert Milam Jr.)
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Why: A rapper-turned-cannabis mogul who turned Cookies into a global cannabis empire.
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Business Moves: Cookies is one of the most recognized cannabis brands in the world, with strains, fashion, and retail stores internationally.
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Impact: Changed the game by blending hip-hop, streetwear, and high-quality cannabis genetics into one movement.
5. Wiz Khalifa
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Why: Known for his love of cannabis and promoting the stoner lifestyle through music ("Roll Up," "Still Blazin," etc.).
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Business Moves: Launched Khalifa Kush (KK), a strain originally bred specifically for his tastes, now a full cannabis brand.
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Impact: His brand combines luxury and street credibility, appealing to both old-school and new-school cannabis consumers.
6. Martha Stewart
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Why: A surprising cannabis advocate later in life, especially through her friendship with Snoop Dogg.
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Business Moves: Partnered with Canopy Growth to launch a line of CBD wellness products for humans (and pets).
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Impact: Helped destigmatize cannabis and CBD among older and more conservative demographics.
7. Jim Belushi
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Why: After personal tragedy, he turned to cannabis farming as a passion and healing mission.
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Business Moves: Founded Belushiโs Farm in Oregon, growing premium cannabis and starring in Growing Belushi (Discovery Channel).
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Impact: Focuses on the healing potential of cannabis, adding a strong emotional and therapeutic narrative to the industry.
8. Mike Tyson
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Why: Former boxing champion turned cannabis entrepreneur and advocate for plant-based medicine.
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Business Moves: Created Tyson 2.0, a cannabis company selling flower, concentrates, and edibles, known for high potency and celebrity-style branding.
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Impact: Brings athletic performance recovery and "cannabis for wellness" narratives to the mainstream.
Honorable Mentions
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Tommy Chong: Lifetime cannabis advocate (Cheech & Chong).
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Whoopi Goldberg: Created Whoopi & Maya, a brand focused on cannabis products for menstrual relief (since closed).
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Drake: Partnered with Canopy Growth for More Life Growth Company (lifestyle brand).
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Jay-Z: Chief Brand Strategist for The Parent Company, a major cannabis conglomerate in California (also started Monogram brand).
๐ฅ Why These Celebrities Matter
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Normalization: They helped push cannabis out of the shadows into mainstream culture.
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Business Innovation: They shifted cannabis from a "counterculture product" to a legitimate, stylish, and profitable industry.
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Political Advocacy: Some (like Willie Nelson, Berner, and Jim Belushi) actively support legalization efforts and cannabis prisoner reform.
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New Markets: Celebrities like Martha Stewart and Mike Tyson opened up cannabis to older, wellness-focused, and fitness audiences.
Disclaimer:
Cali Steam is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsing any of the celebrities, brands, or companies mentioned in this article. All names, trademarks, and brands are the property of their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only.
๐ Why Celebrities Play a Critical Role in the Cannabis Industry
1. They Break the Stigma
For decades, cannabis was criminalized and portrayed negatively in the media. Even as legalization has spread, many consumers โ especially older or more conservative ones โ still associate cannabis with crime or irresponsibility.
When famous, respected figures like Willie Nelson, Martha Stewart, or Snoop Dogg openly embrace cannabis, it normalizes the conversation. Their public support shows that cannabis use spans across generations, professions, and lifestyles โ from artists to athletes to entrepreneurs.
๐ Result: Cannabis becomes seen as part of a healthy, successful, everyday lifestyle rather than a taboo.
2. They Build Trust and Familiarity
Consumers naturally trust brands and products endorsed by public figures they admire. When a celebrity known for quality, authenticity, or innovation (like Seth Rogen or Berner) puts their name behind a cannabis product, it provides a layer of assurance that the product is legit.
In a crowded marketplace full of new brands, recognizable faces help consumers feel more comfortable trying something new.
๐ Result: Celebrity-backed products often experience faster customer adoption and higher brand loyalty.
3. They Open New Markets
Celebrities have the power to expand cannabis into new demographics:
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Martha Stewart brought CBD into mainstream wellness for seniors and pet owners.
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Mike Tyson connected cannabis with athletes and fitness recovery.
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Wiz Khalifa kept cannabis cool and relevant for Gen Z and millennials.
By tapping into different fan bases, celebrities broaden the cannabis consumer base beyond traditional users and help normalize its use across multiple lifestyles and interests.
๐ Result: Cannabis is no longer seen as a "niche" product โ it's a lifestyle choice accessible to everyone.
4. They Push Cultural and Legal Shifts
Celebrities often have massive platforms that can be used for advocacy. Some have used their voice to:
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Support legalization efforts at state and national levels.
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Promote expungement of cannabis-related criminal records.
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Advocate for social equity in the industry.
When icons like Jay-Z or Jim Belushi speak up for reform, they draw media attention and political momentum that grassroots advocates might not be able to generate alone.
๐ Result: Celebrities amplify the cannabis reform movement, speeding up acceptance and legalization.
5. They Elevate the Industry Standard
By entering the cannabis space, celebrities also raise the bar for professionalism and product quality.
Brands like Houseplant (Seth Rogen), Cookies (Berner), and Monogram (Jay-Z) focus not just on growing cannabis, but on packaging, design, storytelling, and customer experience โ making cannabis feel as polished and respected as industries like wine, coffee, or fashion.
๐ Result: Cannabis branding evolves from street-level to luxury, wellness, and lifestyle categories, making it appealing to a broader and more discerning audience.
๐ฏ In Short
Celebrity involvement in cannabis accelerates normalization, builds consumer trust, drives new market growth, promotes policy change, and raises industry standards.
In a rapidly growing and still-regulated market, their influence is not just helpful โ it's transformative.
