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Presidents’ Day is this week. As we celebrate the leaders who have occupied the Oval Office throughout our nation’s history, it’s the perfect time to look back on some former Presidents who were known to use marijuana.
Cannabis is medicine, and nearly 140,000 Missouri residents have their state medical marijuana card. MMJ is now legal in 37 states, being used to treat hundreds of conditions. This is an unprecedented time in American history, as the false stigma surrounding cannabis use is fading and the conversation is changing.
Today, let’s examine some former Presidents who held their office to a… ahem, higher standard, enjoying the natural relief that marijuana provides:
Barack Obama
The nation’s first black president admitted to consuming marijuana in his book Dreams from My Father. When he was running for the presidency in 2008, he was famously quoted as saying, “When I was a kid, I inhaled frequently. That was the point.” There is even some speculation that Obama may have gotten kicked out of Disneyland for enjoying cannabis with friends on the theme park’s gondolas.
Bill Clinton
Former President Bill Clinton famously admitted to smoking marijuana, but stated he “did not inhale.” That may have been a clever misdirection, because according to his old friend Christopher Hitchens, he didn’t have to inhale. Clinton preferred to get his cannabis by eating brownies.
James Madison
The man who is often referred to as “The Father of the Constitution” once stated that smoking hemp gave him the insight and inspiration he needed to create a democratic nation. Madison clearly understood how effective cannabis can be for sparking creativity.
John F. Kennedy
The many Americans who have found medical marijuana to be an effective treatment for chronic pain are in good company. There is reason to believe the former president used cannabis to help deal with severe back pain. Michael O’Brien writes about it in his biography on JFK. We can’t prove Kennedy was enjoying cannabis when he decided we were going to put a man on the moon, but it’s fun to imagine.
James Monroe
Before becoming the nation’s 5th President, Monroe served as ambassador to France. While overseas, Monroe had a habit of openly smoking hashish and continued to do so for the rest of his life.
George W. Bush
Bush has always been a little cagey about his marijuana use, probably because it would contradict his anti-marijuana political stance. He did admit to smoking cannabis in an interview with biographer Douglas Wead (yes, it’s pronounced “weed”). Too bad the former president wasn’t educated on the healing powers of cannabis. He could’ve pushed for legalization, rather than wasting taxpayer money waging an unnecessary war on marijuana.
Franklin Pierce
Pierce was a military man and the 14th President of the United States. He smoked marijuana before it became illegal, as evidenced by a letter he wrote to his family stating that smoking cannabis was “the only good thing” about his time in war.
George Washington… maybe
We would be remiss not to mention our nation’s first President. George Washington was known to be a farmer of hemp, but the debate on whether or not he grew the type of hemp that contains high levels of THC is up for debate.
Those who argue that Washington did use cannabis cite evidence that he smoked marijuana to get relief for high levels of pain caused by tooth problems.
Honorable Mention - Jimmy Carter
It doesn’t seem that Jimmy Carter ever enjoyed marijuana, at least not that we know of. But, if he hadn’t been president, his son Chip wouldn’t have had the honor of smoking a joint in the White House with Willie Nelson.
Were There Others?
There is evidence that Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Zachary Taylor, and Andrew Jackson all consumed cannabis, but historians debate whether or not it was marijuana as we know it today or hemp without psychoactive amounts of THC.
Of course, with the stigma that surrounded cannabis use for most of the 20th century, we will probably never know the truth about every former President who consumed marijuana. We can only hope that legalization efforts continue, and perhaps one day we’lll even see a President who is open about cannabis use while in office. After all, marijuana IS medicine.
A Historic Time for Relief.
There has never been a better time to enjoy the natural relief that cannabis provides. With a Missouri medical marijuana card, you can purchase cannabis legally and know the marijuana you are getting has passed strict quality and safety guidelines.
If you don’t have your Missouri medical marijuana card yet, we can help you with that! Our medical staff is standing by to take you through a quick and easy evaluation to see if you qualify. Schedule an appointment with a marijuana doctor online by CLICKING HERE, or give us a call at (877) 303-3117 to talk to a patient support representative.
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
At Missouri Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (877) 303-3117, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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