Whoopi Goldberg and Willie Nelson are among dozens of celebrities who tout the benefits of marijuana, and they’ve been doing it long before the law said it was permissible (in some places, anyway). Here’s a rundown of famous folks who helped blaze a trail to legalization.
Justin Timberlake
In 2011, the multi-talented Timberlake told Playboy that he “absolutely” smokes weed and added, “The only thing pot does for me is it gets me to stop thinking. Sometimes I have a brain that needs to be turned off.”
Rihanna
Rumors that the singer was branding her own line of weed, called “MaRihanna,” proved untrue. But there’s no denying Rihanna is a longtime proponent of pot, as evidenced by countless posts on her social media pages.Willie Nelson
Coming soon: Willie’s Reserve, “for music fans, cannabis connoisseurs & lovers of freedom.” Marijuana-smoking celebrities don’t get more legendary than this. A longtime support of the legalization of weed, Nelson plans to open stores in every state that legally allows pot sales.Lady Gaga
When she appeared on 60 Minutes, the singer revealed, “I smoke a lot of pot when I write music.” Gaga has no desire to present herself as “some sober human being.”Whoopi Goldberg
The comedienne and talk show host defended medical marijuana long before it was legal. Goldberg has used pot to cope with glaucoma and recently launched her own line of medical cannabis, Whoopi & Maya, to alleviate menstrual discomfort.Cameron Diaz
The actress, now 43, says she’s been smoking weed since she was a teenager. And Diaz got the good stuff — Snoop Dogg was her dealer in high school.Morgan Freeman
The actor refers to marijuana as “God’s own weed” and told The Guardian he’ll “never give up the ganja.” Freeman, 77, credits his habit for his tireless work ethic, telling a reporter, “If you smoke enough marijuana, you get enough energy.” No wonder he was known as “Easy Reader” on the PBS children’s series The Electric Company.Michael Bloomberg
The former Mayor of New York City is proud of his former marijuana use. When asked if he ever smoked, Bloomberg said, “You bet I did. And I enjoyed it!”Snoop Dogg
Unlike his friend Rihanna, Snoop has developed his own brand of marijuana. His Leafs by Snoop website boasts “the finest quality cannabis one could imagine.” He invites his fans to “medicate, elevate, and put it in the air!”Stephen King
The horror novelist pushed for the legalization of cannabis long before the concept became popular. “I think that marijuana should not only be legal, I think it should be a cottage industry,” King said. “There’s some pretty good homegrown dope. I’m sure it would be even better if you could grow it with fertilizers and have greenhouses.”
