List of United States politicians who have acknowledged cannabis use explained

Before the prohibition of cannabis in the United States, some of the nation's Founding Fathers and presidents grew hemp. Politicians who have admitted to recreational use of the drug prior to its decriminalization or legalization include mayors, governors, members of the U.S. Congress, vice presidents and presidents.

Background

In the United States, cannabis was initially grown for industrial reasons, though it quickly became a staple medicinal product in the early 19th century and recreational use became more prevalent during the 20th century. Harry J. Anslinger, the commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, responded to political pressure to ban marijuana at a nationwide level. The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 created an expensive excise tax, and included penalty provisions and elaborate rules of enforcement to which marijuana, cannabis, or hemp handlers, were subject. Mandatory sentencing and increased punishment were enacted when the U.S. Congress passed the Boggs Act of 1951 and the Narcotics Control Act of 1956.

During the counterculture of the 1960s, attitudes towards marijuana and drug abuse policy changed as marijuana use among "white middle-class college students" became widespread. In Leary v. United States (1969), the U.S. Supreme Court held the Marihuana Tax Act to be unconstitutional since it violated the Fifth Amendment. In response, Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act as Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, which repealed the Marihuana Tax Act.^[1] In 1972, the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse concluded that marijuana should be decriminalized, but that public use and driving while intoxicated should remain illegal. By the end of the decade, several states had decriminalized the drug, while many others weakened their laws against cannabis use.

A wave of conservatism during the 1980s allowed president Ronald Reagan to accelerate the war on drugs, prompting anti-drug campaigns such as the "Just Say No" campaign of first lady Nancy Reagan. Federal penalties for cultivation, possession, or transfer of marijuana were increased by the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 and the Anti-Drug Abuse Acts of 1986 and 1988. Since California voters passed the 1996 California Proposition 215, which legalized medical cannabis, several states have followed suit. However, United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative (2001) rejected the common-law medical necessity defense to crimes enacted under the Controlled Substances Act because Congress concluded that cannabis has "no currently accepted medical use" and Gonzales v. Raich (2005) concluded that the Commerce Clause of Article One of the U.S. Constitution allowed the federal government to ban the use of cannabis, including medical use. Today, cannabis remains classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, and possession is punishable by up to one year in jail and a minimum fine of $1,000 for a first conviction.^[2]

List of politicians who farmed hemp

width=180	Name	width=80	Lifetime	width=380	Highest position	width=80	Party	class=unsortable
		President of Pennsylvania	Independent	^[3]
		President of the United States	Democratic-Republican	^[4]
		President of the United States	Democratic-Republican	^[5]
		President of the United States	Independent
		United States Secretary of State, United States Senator Kentucky	Democratic-Republican, National Republican and Whig

Parties

Use prior to decriminalization

Name	Lifetime	Highest position	Party
		County Executive of Westchester County	Republican	^[6]
		Governor of Arizona, United States Secretary of the Interior	Democratic	^[7]
		Mayor of New York City	Democratic	^[8]
		United States Senator from New Jersey	Democratic	^[9]
		President of the United States	Republican	^[10]
		Governor of Florida	Republican	^[11]
		United States Secretary of Transportation	Democratic	^[12]
		Governor of Massachusetts	Republican	^[13]
		United States Senator from Rhode Island, Governor of Rhode Island	Libertarian	^[14]
		United States Senator from Florida, Governor of Florida	Democratic	^[15]
		President of the United States	Democratic	^[16]
		United States Representative from Tennessee	Democratic	^[17]
		Attorney General of Kentucky	Democratic	^[18]
		United States Senator from Texas	Republican	^[19]
			Democratic	^[20]
		Mayor of New York City	Democratic	^[21]
		Governor of Vermont	Democratic	^[22]
		Auditor of Massachusetts	Democratic
		Lieutenant Governor of New York	Republican	^[23]
		United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development	Democratic
		United States Senator from North Carolina	Democratic
		United States Representative from Georgia	Republican
		Vice President of the United States	Democratic	^[24]
		Vice President of the United States	Democratic	^[25]
		Governor of New Hampshire, United States Senator from New Hampshire	Democratic	^[26]
		United States Senator from Colorado, Governor of Colorado	Democratic	^[27]
		Governor of Indiana	Republican	^[28]
		Governor of New Mexico	Libertarian	^[29]
		United States Representative from New York	Democratic	^[30]
		Governor of Ohio	Republican	^[31]
		United States Representative from Massachusetts	Democratic
		United States Secretary of State	Democratic
		Mayor of New York City	Democratic	^[32]
		Governor of Colorado	Democratic	^[33]
		United States Senator from Florida	Republican
		United States Deputy Secretary of Energy	Republican	^[34]
		United States Representative from Washington	Republican	^[35]
		United States Representative from New York	Republican	^[36]
		United States Representative from Virginia	Democratic
		United States Representative from Massachusetts	Democratic	^[37]
		Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts	Democratic
		Governor of New Jersey	Democratic	^[38]
		United States Representative from Massachusetts	Democratic
		President of the United States	Democratic	^[39]
		Governor of Alaska	Republican	^[40]
		Governor of New York	Republican
		Governor of New York	Democratic	^[41]
		United States Representative from New York	Democratic	^[42]
		United States Senator from Rhode Island	Democratic
		United States Senator from Ohio, U.S. Trade Representative	Republican	^[43]
		Governor of Illinois	Democratic	^[44]
		United States Representative from California	Republican	^[45]
		United States Senator from Vermont	Independent	^[46]
		United States Senator from Pennsylvania	Republican	^[47]
		Governor of California	Republican	^[48]
		Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania	Republican	^[49]
		Governor of Oklahoma	Republican	^[50]
		New York City Comptroller	Democratic	^[51]
		New York City Comptroller	Democratic	^[52]
		United States Representative from Massachusetts	Republican
		Governor of Minnesota	Independent	^[53]
		United States Secretary of the Treasury	Democratic	^[54]

Parties

See also

• List of British politicians who have acknowledged cannabis use

References

Works cited

• Book: Klotter. James C.. James C. Klotter. 2018. Henry Clay: The Man Who Would Be President. Oxford University Press. 0-19-049804-8.
• Book: Schlosser, Eric. Eric Schlosser. 2003. Reefer Madness. https://archive.org/details/reefermadnesssex00schl_0/page/13. registration. Reefer Madness. Reefer Madness (Schlosser book). Houghton Mifflin Company. 11–74. 0-618-33466-1.
• Zuardi. Antonio Waldo. 2006. History of cannabis as a medicine: a review. en. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry. 28. 2. 153–157. 10.1590/S1516-44462006000200015. free. 16810401.

Notes and References

1. Pub. L. No. 91–513, 84 Stat. 1236 (October 27, 1973).
2. Web site: Marijuana's new high life. August 30, 2009. September 30, 2009. Adam. Tschorn. Los Angeles Times.
3. Web site: Hemp is at hand. September 27, 2006. Annie. Kelly. The Guardian. November 21, 2009.
4. Web site: U.S. Farmers Covet a Forbidden Crop. Christopher. Wren. April 1, 1999. November 21, 2009. The New York Times.
5. Web site: This President's Day, Remember that George Washington Raised Hemp & Probably Smoked it. January 29, 2009. November 21, 2009. The Huffington Post. Harvey. Wasserman.
6. Jimmy Vielkind, Rob Astorino 'smoked a couple of joints' in college, Politico New York (March 7, 2014).
7. Web site: Gore and Babbitt also confess they smoked marijuana. November 8, 1987. September 30, 2009. The Gainesville Sun. The New York Times Company.
8. Web site: NY Mayor appears in marijuana ads. April 9, 2009. September 30, 2009. BBC News.
9. Web site: To Err, Bush May Find in the '90s, Is to Be Forgiven. 2. August 21, 1999. September 30, 2009. Los Angeles Times. Mark. Barabak.
10. News: Bush admits to smoking pot in taped discussion. February 21, 2005. January 20, 2012. Associated Press. Taipei Times.
11. News: Jeb Bush is a hypocrite about marijuana, Rand Paul says. January 31, 2015. February 8, 2015. CBS News. Jake. Miller.
12. Web site: Democrat Buttigieg used marijuana 'a handful of times'. October 23, 2019. July 23, 2021. The Associated Press.
13. Web site: Several politicians admit marijuana use. March 5, 1990. November 6, 2009. The Register-Guard. Guard Publishing.
14. Web site: Political Briefing; In Rhode Island, A Decision to Tell All. August 25, 1999. September 30, 2009. The New York Times. B. Drummond. Ayres.
15. Web site: Chiles follows Mack, admits smoking pot. November 10, 1987. September 30, 2009. The Gainesville Sun. The New York Times Company.
16. Web site: Clinton Tried Marijuana as a Student, He Says. https://web.archive.org/web/20100224032125/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/30/news/30iht-bill_1.html. February 24, 2010. March 30, 1992. September 30, 2009. The New York Times.
17. Web site: Desperately Seeking the News. https://archive.today/20130129143230/http://www.nashvillescene.com/1997-10-02/stories/desperately-seeking-the-news/. dead. January 29, 2013. Nashville Scene. Village Voice Media. Henry. Walker. October 2, 1997. January 14, 2010. 1.
18. Web site: Rand Paul accused of using marijuana in college; Jack Conway admits he tried it. October 14, 2010. October 16, 2010. Lexington Herald-Leader. The McClatchy Company. Bill. Estep. Jack Brammer .
19. Web site: REPORT: Ted Cruz smoked weed as a teenager. February 3, 2015. July 24, 2021. Business Insider.
20. Web site: Cuomo Urges Repeal of Rockefeller Drug Laws and Offers New Sentencing Plan. August 6, 2002. November 6, 2009. Shaila. Dewan. The New York Times.
21. Jillian Jorgensen, Bill de Blasio Says He Hasn't Smoked Weed Since College, New York Observer (November 19, 2015).
22. Web site: Dems on Drugs: Any Questions?. November 14, 2003. September 30, 2009. Jordan. Smith. The Austin Chronicle. Austin Chronicle Corporation.
23. Web site: Cheering for George Mary Donohue takes spotlight to win place in Pataki's shadow. July 30, 1998. November 6, 2009. Paul. Schwartzman. Daily News. Mortimer Zuckerman. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100325064442/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1998/07/30/1998-07-30_cheering_for_george_mary_don.html. March 25, 2010.
24. Web site: Gore was avid pot smoker - book. February 7, 2000. Michael. Ellison. September 30, 2009. The Guardian.
25. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/feb/12/kamala-harris-says-she-smoked-marijuana-in-college/ Kamala Harris says she smoked marijuana in college while listening to music that didn't exist yet
26. http://www.unionleader.com/article/20140211/NEWS06/140219926 Gov. Hassan says she smoked marijuana while in college
27. News: The Guardian. Manchester, UK. 'This can be done right': how Colorado sparked a decade of marijuana reform. October 15, 2022. Josiah Hesse. Hickenlooper said at a recent event marking the anniversary and citing a state health survey of 40,000 participants. “Just to be clear, I smoked pot when I was 16 … and I feel pretty darn sure now that [legalization] is a much better societal decision than what I grew up in.”.
28. News: Gov. Holcomb admits using marijuana in college, still opposes legalization in Indiana. Dan . Carden . February 27, 2019. The Times of Northwest Indiana.
29. Web site: Should the Government Legalize Drugs?. November 6, 2009. February 22, 2001. CNN.
30. Web site: Sommerfeldt . Chris . Rep. Mondaire Jones admits past weed use while calling on Biden to reverse pot-related White House firings . New York Daily News . 21 May 2022.
31. Khalil AlHajal, John Kasich annoyed by question on whether he's smoked marijuana, MLive (March 8, 2016).
32. Web site: Mayor Koch admits he's tried marijuana. Boca Raton News. South Florida Media Company. November 13, 1980. September 30, 2009.
33. Web site: Lamm Says He, Too, Tried Marijuana. Associated Press. August 22, 1996. September 14, 2012.
34. Web site: In Virginia, a Child's Illness Quiets a Congressional Campaign. August 29, 1994. November 6, 2009. The New York Times.
35. Web site: Only one area lawmaker admits pot use. November 17, 1987. December 1, 2009. The Spokesman-Review. Cowles Publishing Company. Les. Blumenthal.
36. Web site: Molinari Says Yes (Or No?), She Inhaled. August 9, 1996. September 30, 2009. The New York Times.
37. Web site: Seth Moulton Says He Smoked Pot at Harvard, Supports Legalization. September 19, 2016. June 24, 2019. Boston. Boston.
38. Web site: New Jersey Governor Says He's Used Marijuana 'Literally Once or Twice'. May 3, 2018. May 6, 2024. Bloomberg News.
39. Web site: Barack Obama, asked about drug history, admits he inhaled. October 24, 2006. September 30, 2009. Katharine. Seelye. The New York Times.
40. Web site: Palin: She Inhaled. Lisa. Lerer. August 29, 2008. September 30, 2009. CBS News.
41. Web site: David Paterson Admits Using Cocaine, Marijuana In His 20s. March 24, 2008. November 6, 2009. The Huffington Post.
42. Web site: Politician Fights Pot Charge. October 4, 1978. December 1, 2009. Star-Banner. The New York Times Company.
43. Web site: Wehrman . Jessica . Portman admits he smoked pot . Journal-News . 13 May 2013 . 22 May 2022.
44. News: Top 3 Illinois Dem gubernatorial candidates agree: We all smoked pot back in the day. Janssen. Kim. January 16, 2018. Chicago Tribune.
45. Web site: Dana Rohrabacher: The colossal failure of marijuana prohibition. Dana . Rohrabacher . May 13, 2013. March 14, 2014. Orange County Register.
46. Web site: Bernie Sanders on Hillary Clinton: 'Would she be interested in being my vice president?'. June 1, 2015. August 16, 2015. Yahoo News.
47. Web site: 9 pols who talked pot. April 20, 2012. January 22, 2014. Politico.
48. Web site: Schwarzenegger: Calif. needs pot debate. May 6, 2009. September 30, 2009. NBC News.
49. Web site: Getting high on marijuana issue. November 28, 1987. December 1, 2009. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Block Communications.
50. News: Five takeaways from Oklahoma gubernatorial debate between Kevin Stitt and Joy Hofmeister. Kaelan Deese. Washington Examiner. October 19, 2022.
51. Web site: New York City Mayoral Candidates - Who's for Pot?. June 12, 2021. July 24, 2021.
52. Web site: Bill Thompson and Tony Avella square off, gang up on Mayor Bloomberg in 1st mayoral debate. August 27, 2009. September 30, 2009. Adam. Lisberg. Daily News. Mortimer Zuckerman. August 30, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090830142644/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election_2009/2009/08/27/2009-08-27_debaters_take_aim_at_mike_thompson_and_avella_square_off_in_1st_mayoral_tv_conte.html. dead.
53. Web site: Jesse Ventura Teases Presidential Run with Third Political Party. .
54. (at 20:30)