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As cannabis legalization spreads in the US, more and more famous people are behind the industry. There was a time when every celebrity wanted their own wine label; It was almost a sign of making it in the world. People like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Antonio Banderas and Dan Aykroyd all ventured into the world of wine. Now cannabis seems to be the next trending thing, attracting celebrity attention and money.

Some celebrities have known histories with cannabis. The likes of Tommy Chong, Snoop Dogg and the legend Willie Nelson were all outspoken advocates of marijuana. So it’s no surprise they used their connection with cannabis culture to make money and adopted this trend early on.

More recently, actor Seth Rogen, the star of many stoner comedies, has been linked to a cannabis brand. Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, aka Jay and Silent Bob, who became famous from their ’90s movies, have since started their own brand.

While some of these are ordinary products repackaged with the celebrity name, others are more invested in the product’s references and deserve a closer look.

Leaves of Snoop

It won’t be a surprise to see Snoop Dogg on this list. The famous rapper, arguably one of the first celebs to step into the cannabis industry, began his career partnering with LivWell in Colorado in 2015.

The following year, the company expanded into Canada and partnered with Tweed, which grows and sells the products and is owned by Canopy Growth. The line now includes several strains, both India and Sativa, available in flower and concentrate forms.

Willie Reserve

Country music legend and longtime proponent of cannabis legalization, Willie Nelson founded a company in 2014 to get on the green onslaught in Colorado and Washington. When he opened a joint on the roof of the Whitehouse in 1980, Nelson has had a long affinity for cannabis. The brand called Willie’s Reserve was launched in 2015 and started with the traditional cannabis flowering. Vape cartridges, pre-rolls, and flowers are now available under the brand in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and California. The company reflects Willie’s longstanding commitment to Farm Aid and works closely with other brands who share his views and passion for cannabis as a medicine.

One of the first celebs to launch their own cannabis brand was cartoon stoner Tommy Chong. As part of the legendary Cheech and Chong duo, he’s probably one of the first people that comes to mind when you’re supposed to name a famous stoner. Introduced in Colorado in 2015 and expanded to Washington the following year, this brand has become incredibly popular, not least because of its association with such an icon of cannabis culture. The line of products is now available in Arizona, California, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

LenitivLabs

Former TV talk show host Montel Williams started his own cannabis company in 2016. Williams, an MS sufferer, is a firm believer in legalizing medical marijuana “because it will give more patients access”. Montel hemp extract capsules are sold under his own company LenitivLabs and are aimed at seriously ill people who give them access to high quality, standardized drugs.

Jay and Silent Bob / Caviar Gold

Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, AKA Jay and Silent Bob are icons of grass culture of the 90s. Their on-screen weed trading characters first appeared in clerks, which later became a cult class. They later appear in other ’90s comedies Chasing Amy, Mallrats, Dogma, and culminate in their own movie Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back. The couple replayed their weed-throwing personalities on-screen for the big screen with the 2019 reboot. As part of the promotion for this film, the duo partnered with Caviar Gold to target three strains high in THC and CBD Market, appropriately called Snoochie Boochies, Berzerkers and Snoogans. It’s not their first foray into the cannabis game as they released a Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash line in 2017 that was developed with breeder Chemesis.

Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is a household name, but not one that would be associated with cannabis. In 2017 he founded the Tyson Ranch in the California desert with Rob Hickman, the line carries cannabis flowers, pre-rolls, tinctures, gums and even CBD drinks.

Jim Belushi, actor, singer and blues brother of SNL, once visited the Rogue River in southern Oregon with his family for many years and fell in love with the place. So much so that he eventually bought a 13 acre property on which he built a single family home.

Jim later added 80 acres of land and was inspired to turn to cannabis growing. Belushi’s Farm products are now available in Oregon, Colorado, Oklahoma and Illinois. They are sold under three brands, Belushi’s Secret Stash, The Blues Brothers, and Captain Jack’s. Jim has reinvented himself once again and now has his own reality show on Discovery, Growing Belushi.

Seth Rogan, famous for his wise, sarcastic stronger on-screen presence in films like Supper Bad and Pineapple Express, founded Houseplant in 2019 with writing and production partner Evan Goldberg with Canopy Growth.

Originally only available in Rogan’s native Canada, the company only offered one line of CBD before opening fully to the THC business in California earlier this year. The business has two product lines, plants and home.

The “Plants” range are bespoke cannabis strains with brightly colored, stylish packaging, all of which seem to have been tested by Rogan. The “home” half of the products are artisanal housewares such as and smoking accessories.

Martha Stewart CBD

Martha Stewart is another celebrity who has partnered with Canopy Grow of Canada. The same company that launched Houseplant and her friend Snoop Dogs back in 2015 is launching a Martha Stewart branded CBD line. This line of edibles includes berry and citrus-flavored drops, soft gels, and gums, all made from 100% natural US hemp.

With the CBD market racing so fast, it’s no wonder the enterprising wellness entrepreneur was eager to get into the industry.

Conclusion This article mentions only a small minority of the many celebrities who have started their own cannabis business or partnered with an established cannabis brand for a bespoke line of products. Many of them have a strong connection to cannabis culture and are proponents of real change in the industry. However, there are some unexpected names that suggest the industry is growing in recognition and attraction not only as a recreational drug, but also as a medical treatment and lifestyle.