As more states go green, enjoying unprecedented access to decriminalized cannabis, it can be easy to forget the legion of outspoken voices that have publicly battled to get us to this encouraging point. Activists in a multitude of realms continue to dig in and fight for those in the U.S. who are still under the threat of arrest or imprisonment for simple possession of a plant that can be therapeutic and recreational. They oppose a system that doesn’t care about people—or worse, profits from their pain. So today we’re raising a big spliff to a handful of critical cannabis activists you should be familiar with. They are generals leading the charge for legalization, justice reform and widespread access to the herb that we love. Giving them our support is the surest path to victory.
Courtesy of Steve Deangelo/ Twitter
Who: Steve DeAngelo
What: CEO, Harborside; Co-founder, Steep Hill Labs; President, ArcView Group; Author, the Cannabis Manifesto: A New Paradigm for Wellness
How: With over 40 years of activism and open support for the therapeutic virtues of the plant, DeAngelo may be the most widely recognized of modern canna-campaigners. Harborside is the world’s largest dispensary and a lynchpin in the fight for safe access to lab-tested medical marijuana for a range of income groups. From creating his own concentrate to raising the bar for dispensary standards, DeAngelo remains a crucial force in advocacy and activism.
Courtesy of Dr. Sanjay Gupta/ Twitter
Who: Dr. Sanjay Gupta
What: Chief Medical Correspondent, CNN, a.k.a. the guy who got your mom to try edibles.
How: Gupta lends his medical expertise and public credibility to advocate for safe access for cannabis patients in a variety of telecast programs