When weed was legalized in Canada and parts of the United States, the number of cannabis brands exploded. While a lot of everyday people jumped into the market, a number of celebrities did as well, launching their own brands of cannabis and cannabis-related products. While some of them were no surprise, a few you may have not suspected. Once a celebrity hits the market with their brand, they enhance the perception of cannabis use and its products. Here are a few who are building their own cannabis kingdom:
Cannabis Brands Created by Celebrities
1. Snoop Dogg
This one is no surprise. Leafs by Snoop is lead by this age-defining musician. He is Rastafarian and has always promoted his love of weed. He co-founded this company with Canadian company Tweed which is part of Canopy Growth. Snoop’s focus is selling the California way of life through bud, oil, and edibles. It is one of the first cannabis brands to go mainstream and a pioneer not only in celebrity branding of weed but also in the legal market overall.
2. Willie Nelson
You knew if Snoop hit the market, Willie wasn’t going to be far behind. This musician and songwriter has been a big advocate for the legalization of marijuana. In 2015, he began Willie’s Reserve based out of Washington. This is one of the biggest cannabis production companies to use celebrity power, promoting the producers along with Willie to emphasize the strong relationship between them. They focus on Willie’s style with the country-western brand identity and offer a diversity of products.
3. Ghostface Killah
This American rapper is part of the Wu-Tang Clan. Dennis Coles (his real name) founded Wu Goo in 2016 with Killah Priest. They focus on THC oil to be used in vaporizers and offer lots of products along with oil such as joints, edibles, and more. They sell through a California based company called Dynamite Stix. Ghostface Killah uses the idea that hip-hop and weed just go together. Always have and always will.
4. Wiz Khalifa
Born Cameron Jibril Thomaz, Wiz Khalifa is a rapper and actor who knows his cannabis. He has his own brand of cannabis, merch, and app called 420 collection. He has an app called Weed Farm and his own strain called Khalifa Kush. Wiz has moved beyond a strain and into the cannabis world of clothing and gaming, a great and successful combination.
5. Melissa Etheridge
This award-winning musician stepped into the cannabis game to represent middle-age women in the industry. She had been a strong advocate of medical marijuana while on chemotherapy for breast cancer and owns Etheridge Farms in California which grows cannabis for her products. This is a new venture that includes bud, edibles, and creams that are fully owned and backed by Etheridge.
6. Mike Tyson
This heavyweight champion is now a cannabis businessman. He is stepping into the cannabis ring with his business partners Robert Hickman and Jay Strommen. In 2017, they began to build Tyson Ranch, a cannabis resort that will have an edibles factory, theater, and campground. They are branching out into clothing, accessories, and more all under the Tyson Ranch brand.
7. Montel Williams
Montel is a celebrity TV personality talk show host and actor who has been around for decades. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999, he began to build a line of medical marijuana products called Lenitiv. This branding ties into his celebrity but also his battle with MS. He touts high-end cannabis and hemp CBD products along with promoting further research into medical capabilities. Montel has advocated for medical cannabis law reform for decades and achieved success in New York, Ohio, and other states. He is a decorated Navy officer who fights for legal access to medical cannabis for veterans. His brand is strong and one of the best on the market.
8. Damian Marley
Damian’s last name should ring a bell when talking about cannabis. This Jamaican reggae musician is the youngest son of legend Bob Marley. Damien has teamed up with Oreva Capital to buy a controlling interest in High Times. This magazine is at the forefront of history as it tells the story of transformation in the marijuana markets. While this is not a cannabis brand per se, it is a brand linked to the Marley name that follows the trends and stories of weed and its journey.
These cannabis brands that have been created and promoted by celebrities are just a few of the many. Others like Seth Rogan, The Game, Master P, the Trailer Park Boys, Suicide Girls, and Martha Stewart are part of the industry as well. The thing about all these celebrities is they aren’t just lending their name to a brand. Their name is backing the brand and they believe in their product. Many of these celebrities have been advocating for legal medical and recreational cannabis use for years.
9. James Belushi
Jim Belushi first ventured into the industry in 2015 as a farmer with a 48-plant crop. Nowadays, the “According to Jim” star runs the 93 acres Belushi’s Farm in southern Oregon, which is featured in the three-part Discovery series “Growing Belushi.” The series, which premiered on Wednesday, August 19, chronicles Belushi’s life on his cannabis farm. The actor has also teamed up with Grassroots Cannabis to launch Blues Brothers x Grassroots featuring Bubba Diagonal strain — sold exclusively at the dispensary in Skokie. Belushi told Benzinga his mission in the cannabis business is “to break even — because the purpose, the power of this plant, serves the greater good.”
Final Thoughts
Times are a-changing and there are many cannabis brands emerging as legalization continues across more and more parts of the world. Celebrities aren’t just endorsing or lending their names to these brands but are also advocating for change through personal knowledge, medical need, and desire for legal cannabis. The thing with celebrity-branded cannabis is that you will often get other parts of the cannabis culture as well. It’s not just about the weed. You get research, writing, clothing, apps, and glassware, just to name some of the celebrity-branded cannabis linked products and businesses.
It feels good to know that there are celebrity advocates who are not just out to make a quick buck. Many of these brands continue to put money and time into the discussion around research and further legalization trends not only to benefit their brand but also to help those who have been tainted by the lack of legalization. Celebrity cannabis brands are not only making money. They’re advocating for change as well.