Influential People in Marijuana History
While marijuana remains illegal on the federal level, tremendous progress has been accomplished since the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 designated it as a Schedule 1 substance. Cannabis is now legal for recreational use in a number of jurisdictions, as well as medicinal use in a number of others. We owe a debt of gratitude to a large number of men and women.
The most influential people in marijuana history, both past, and present are listed here.
Dr. Raphael Mechoulam
Professor Raphael Mechoulam, commonly known as the "Godfather of THC," seems like a good place to start. Mechoulam is credited with isolating and identifying THC in 1964. His early work set the groundwork for the discovery of the endocannabinoid system, and he has dedicated his life to studying cannabis components (ECS).
Keith Stroup
NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, was founded by Keith Stroup. Since 1970, the organization has sought to change marijuana laws.
Until 1979, Stroup was the group's executive director. By that time, 11 states had passed decriminalization legislation, indicating that NORML had a substantial influence.
Stroup had a long hiatus from NORML during which time he worked as an attorney and lobbied on behalf of artists and small farmers. Stroup returned to NORM in 1994, joining the board of directors. In 1995, he returned to his previous position as executive director. Stroup served as an advocate for modifying marijuana laws for the following decade before stepping down. Stroup is still involved with NORML today.
Lester Grinspoon
In the realm of psychiatry, Lester Grinspoon is a legend. He is a Harvard Medical School Associate Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry.
In the 1960s, Grinspoon grew interested in cannabis as it became more popular in the United States. His initial purpose was to demonstrate the dangers of marijuana. He wanted to protect "foolish young people who would not listen to, or did not trust or grasp the warnings about the hazards," as he put it.
Grinspoon began his studies in 1967 and quickly recognized that he had been wrong about the risks of cannabis. He admitted that marijuana was not as harmful as he had assumed. 'Marihuana Reconsidered,' by Grinspoon, was published in 1971.
Dana Beal
Beal is a well-known political and social activist. For decades, he has been a member of the Youth International Party, and in 1972, he launched the Yipster Times.
His most notable accomplishment, though, was establishing the Global Million Marijuana March in 1999. It has since spread all over the world. On the first Saturday in May, the annual march takes place in hundreds of locations.
Jack Herer
While some may identify Jack Herer's name with one of the most popular cannabis strains, many cannabis activists believe him to be the father of the modern marijuana legalization movement. Herer, who was born in 1939, began his career as an electric sign repairman. He played a key role in the marijuana legalization campaign in the 1970s.
Herer published "The Emperor Wears No Clothes" in 1985, a book that slammed political and corporate groups for demonizing cannabis. Herer's book went on to sell over 700,000 copies, fueling a nationwide campaign for marijuana legalization. Herer died of a heart attack in 2010 after decades of activism.
Steve DeAngelo
DeAngelo is regarded as one of America's most prominent marijuana entrepreneurs and activists. He dropped out of school to pursue a career as an activist, and he became a member of the Youth International Party. On July 4, the political organization held "smoke-ins" to protest the legalization of marijuana.
DeAngelo set up a meeting with Jack Herer after reading his book, "The Emperor Wears No Clothes." They started a national tour to promote hemp and marijuana alongside Jack Herer.
DeAngelo has been advocating for marijuana legalization for nearly 40 years. He developed many marijuana businesses, including Harborside Health Center, the world's largest marijuana dispensary.
DeAngelo considers cannabis to be a medicine that should not be taken to get high. DeAngelo was honored with the High Times Lester Grinspoon Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 for his dedication to marijuana legalization throughout his lifetime.
Tom Forcade
Tom Forcade is well known for launching the popular marijuana-centric journal High Times in 1974 and is considered one of the counterculture movement's unsung heroes. Within a few years, the journal had grown to a readership of four million. Although Forcade committed suicide in 1978, his legacy lives on in the form of a rebellious and thought-provoking magazine.
Initially, the tone of the High Times was primarily concerned with how to obtain imported cannabis. However, as time passed, it became more or less a how-to book for cultivating marijuana, a clear indication of the changing debate about marijuana in the United States.
