List of United States politicians who admit to cannabis use

Cannabis is a drug and, as hemp , a source for fibers, oil and seed. Prior to its prohibition, U.S. politicians known for growing hemp include some of the nation's Founding Fathers and Presidents . Politicians that have admitted to recreational use of the drug following prohibition include mayors , Governors , members of the House of Representatives , Senators , and Presidents.

 

 

List of politicians who farmed hemp [ edit ]

Name	Lifetime	Highest position	Party	Ref.
Franklin, Benjamin Benjamin Franklin	1706–1790 ! 1706–1790	President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania	Independent	[ 1 ]
Jackson, Andrew Andrew Jackson	1767–1845 ! 1767–1845	President of the United States	Democratic	[ 2 ]
Jefferson, Thomas Thomas Jefferson	1743–1826 ! 1743–1826	President of the United States	Democratic-Republican	[ 3 ]
Madison, James James Madison	1751–1836 ! 1751–1836	President of the United States	Democratic-Republican	[ 4 ]
Monroe, James James Monroe	1758–1831 ! 1758–1831	President of the United States	Democratic-Republican	[ 2 ]
Pierce, Franklin Franklin Pierce	1804–1869 ! 1804–1869	President of the United States	Democratic	[ 2 ]
Taylor, Zachary Zachary Taylor	1784–1799 ! 1784–1850	President of the United States	Whig	[ 2 ]
Washington, George George Washington	1732–1799 ! 1732–1799	President of the United States	Independent	[ 3 ]

Parties

        Democratic-Republican         Whig         Democratic         Republican         Independent

Post-prohibition [ edit ]

In the U.S., cannabis was initially grown for industrial reasons, though recreational use spread quickly during the 20th century. Harry J. Anslinger , 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 United States Congress passed the Boggs Act of 1952 and the Narcotics Control Act of 1956. ^{[ 5 ]}

During the counterculture of the 1960s , attitudes towards marijuana and drug abuse policy changed as use became widespread among "white middle-class college students". ^{[ 6 ]} In Leary v. United States (1969), the Supreme Court held the Marihuana Tax Act to be unconstitutional since it violated the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution privilege against self-incrimination. 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. ^{[ 7 ]} 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.

However, a wave of conservatism during the 1980s allowed President Ronald Reagan to accelerate the War on Drugs during his presidency , 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 (1984), the Anti-Drug Abuse Act (1986), and the Anti-Drug Abuse Amendment Act (1988). ^{[ 8 ]} Since California voters passed the Proposition 215 in 1996, 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 the 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. ^{[ 9 ]}

Use by politicians following prohibition [ edit ]

Politicians that have admitted to recreational use following prohibition include mayors, Governors, members of the House of Representatives, Senators, and Presidents.

Name	Lifetime	Highest position	Party	Ref.
Babbitt, Bruce Bruce Babbitt	1938 ! b. 1938	Governor of Arizona , Secretary of the Interior	Democratic	[ 10 ]
Bloomberg, Michael Michael Bloomberg	1942 ! b. 1942	Mayor of New York City	Independent	[ 11 ]
Bradley, Bill Bill Bradley	1943 ! b. 1943	Senator from New Jersey	Democratic	[ 12 ]
Bush, George W. George W. Bush	1946 ! b. 1946	President of the United States	Republican	[ 13 ]
Conway, Jack Jack Conway	1969 ! b. 1969	Attorney General of Kentucky	Democratic	[ 14 ]
Cellucci, Paul Paul Cellucci	1948–2013 ! 1948–2013	Governor of Massachusetts	Republican	[ 15 ]
Chafee, Lincoln Lincoln Chafee	1953 ! b. 1953	Senator from Rhode Island , Governor of Rhode Island	Independent	[ 16 ]
Chiles, Lawton Lawton Chiles	1930–1998 ! 1930–1998	Senator from Florida , Governor of Florida	Democratic	[ 17 ]
Clinton, Bill Bill Clinton	1946 ! b. 1946	President of the United States	Democratic	[ 18 ]
Cohen, Steve Steve Cohen	1949 ! b. 1949	Member of the House of Representatives	Democratic	[ 19 ]
Cuomo, Andrew Andrew Cuomo	1957 ! b. 1957	Governor of New York	Democratic	[ 20 ]
Dean, Howard Howard Dean	1948 ! b. 1948	Governor of Vermont , Chair of the Democratic National Committee	Democratic	[ 21 ]
DeNucci, Joseph Joseph DeNucci	1939 ! b. 1939	Auditor of Massachusetts	Democratic	[ 15 ]
Donohue, Mary Mary Donohue	1947 ! b. 1947	Lieutenant Governor of New York	Republican	[ 22 ]
Edwards, John John Edwards	1953 ! b. 1953	Senator from North Carolina	Democratic	[ 21 ]
Gingrich, Newt Newt Gingrich	1943 ! b. 1943	Speaker of the United States House of Representatives	Republican	[ 10 ]
Gore, Al Al Gore	1948 ! b. 1948	Vice President of the United States	Democratic	[ 23 ]
Johnson, Gary Gary Johnson	1953 ! b. 1953	Governor of New Mexico	Libertarian	[ 24 ]
Kennedy II, Joseph P. Joseph P. Kennedy II	1952 ! b. 1952	Member of the House of Representatives	Democratic	[ 15 ]
Kerry, John John Kerry	1943 ! b. 1943	Senator from Massachusetts	Democratic	[ 21 ]
Koch, Ed Ed Koch	1924 ! 1924–2013	Member of the House of Representatives , Mayor of New York City	Democratic	[ 25 ]
Lamm, Richard Richard Lamm	1935 ! b. 1935	Governor of Colorado	Democratic	[ 26 ]
Mack III, Connie Connie Mack III	1940 ! b. 1940	Senator from Florida	Republican	[ 17 ]
McSlarrow, Kyle E. Kyle E. McSlarrow	1960 ! b. 1960	Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy	Republican	[ 27 ]
Miller, John John Miller	1938 ! b. 1938	Member of the House of Representatives	Republican	[ 28 ]
Molinari, Susan Susan Molinari	1958 ! b. 1958	Member of the House of Representatives	Republican	[ 29 ]
Moran, Jim Jim Moran	1945 ! b. 1945	Member of the House of Representatives	Democratic	[ 27 ]
Murphy, Evelyn Evelyn Murphy	1940 ! b. 1940	Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts	Democratic	[ 15 ]
Neal, Richard Richard Neal	1949 ! b. 1949	Member of the House of Representatives	Democratic	[ 15 ]
Obama, Barack Barack Obama	1961 ! b. 1961	President of the United States	Democratic	[ 30 ]
Palin, Sarah Sarah Palin	1964 ! b. 1964	Governor of Alaska	Republican	[ 31 ]
Pataki, George George Pataki	1945 ! b. 1945	Governor of New York	Republican	[ 20 ]
Paterson, David David Paterson	1954 ! b. 1954	Governor of New York	Democratic	[ 32 ]
Pattison, Edward W. Edward W. Pattison	1932 ! 1932–1990	Member of the House of Representatives	Democratic	[ 33 ]
Pell, Claiborne Claiborne Pell	1918–2009 ! 1918–2009	Senator from Rhode Island	Democratic	[ 10 ]
Santorum, Rick Rick Santorum	1958 ! b. 1958	Senator from Pennsylvania	Republican	[ 34 ]
Schwarzenegger, Arnold Arnold Schwarzenegger	1947 ! b. 1947	Governor of California	Republican	[ 35 ]
Scranton III, William William Scranton III	1947 ! b. 1947	Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania	Republican	[ 36 ]
Thomas, Clarence Clarence Thomas	1948 ! b. 1948	Supreme Court Justice	Republican	[ 37 ]
Thompson, Bill Bill Thompson	1953 ! b. 1953	New York City Comptroller	Democratic	[ 38 ]
Torkildsen, Peter G. Peter G. Torkildsen	1958 ! b. 1958	Member of the House of Representatives	Republican	[ 15 ]
Ventura, Jesse Jesse Ventura	1951 ! b. 1951	Governor of Minnesota	Independent	[ 39 ]

Parties

        Democratic         Republican         Independent         Libertarian

See also [ edit ]

• Cannabis in the United States


• Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States


• Legal history of cannabis in the United States


• List of British politicians who admit to cannabis use

References [ edit ]

[ show ] v t e Legality of cannabis in the United States   Legalized Colorado Washington   Decriminalized Alaska California Colorado Connecticut Maine Massachusetts Minnesota Mississippi Nebraska New York North Carolina Ohio Oregon Vermont   Medical status Alaska Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Hawaii Maine Michigan Montana Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico Oregon Rhode Island Vermont Washington Washington, D.C.   Cases United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative (2001) Gonzales v. Raich (2005)   Related articles Cannabis in the United States Medical cannabis in the United States Legal history of cannabis Places that have decriminalized non-medical cannabis Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis

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