Celebrity endorsements of medicinal marijuana play a large role in increasing visibility of the expanding industry

Celebrities continue to support medicinal marijuana through their own brands

(Photo by Mark via Flickr. CC BY 2.0)

Medicinal marijuana is now legal in 30 states throughout the US, and continues to gain support for its ability to effectively treat ailments such as chronic pain, insomnia, and PTSD. With a total sales of $8 billion last year and that number to hit $23 billion by 2020, it’s no surprise that many people are getting involved in the lucrative market.

The legalization of marijuana in Canada has only shifted it into another gear, as investors and cannabis businesses ramp up activity to prepare for official legislation in October.

Celebrities have also thrown their weight behind the medicinal use of cannabis, which stimulates the body’s endocannabinoid system and promotes healing through the attachment to cannabinoid receptors. Their endorsement helps provide a boost to visibility in a substance that is still illegal on the federal level, through it seems that may only be a matter of time.

Steve Bloom, former editor of popular cannabis publication High Times, stated "Legalization has opened the doors to all the celebrity branding. It's not surprising that all the most likely celebrities are jumping aboard."

From gum to cannabis

William Wrigley Jr. II has become the latest supporter of medicinal marijuana, getting involved in a $65 million investment round for Georgia based medical cannabis startup Surterra Wellness. Surterra Wellness runs 10 dispensaries in Florida and also possesses an operational license to operate in Texas. The recent investment boosts their total amount raised to $100 million.

Wrigley Jr. II facilitated the selling of his family’s enormous chewing gum franchise, and his large allocation of funds into the cannabis enterprise has made him the new chairman, stating that the medical benefits of marijuana got him involved in the rapidly growing industry.

“When I understood the massive benefits, it really changed my mind about the industry,” Wrigley said. “You don’t see too many opportunities to have that kind of an impact in an industry that is being created from scratch.”

Wrigley stated that Suterra was intent on eventually making forays into recreational marijuana, with market numbers expected to surpass $5 billion this year. The entire sector comprised of both recreational and medicinal marijuana is projected to reach $11 billion this year.

The FDA’s recent approval of Epidiolex, the first cannabis-based pharmaceutical, certainly bodes well for the recreational marijuana market. Several measures such as the STATES ACT have been proposed to remove the federal ban on marijuana as well, with supporters arguing that it should be the state’s right to moderate cannabis.

Stamp of approval

Cannabis legend Tommy Chong is one of several celebrities who endorse medicinal marijuana (Photo by Axle0000 via Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0)

Tommy Chong is a well-known figure in the cannabis industry and is most recognized for his cannabis comedies, Cheech and Chong. The celebrity has licensed several lines of cannabis brands, such as marijuana brand Chong’s Choice that is available in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Nevada.

He also played a part in the creation of gourmet cannabis chocolate bars through a partnership between Chong’s Choice and Defonce Chocolatier as edibles have rapidly become the go-to choice for consumers. Containing 200mg of THC, they can also be split into smaller doses for optimum user-friendliness.

Chong also endorses Diamond CBD products that include premium hemp extracts which contain cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that provides a wide variety of therapeutic effects similar to THC. The Chong’s Choice CBD brand includes a vaping pen, edible gummies, vape additives, and CBD oil.

Diamond CBD is a well-known distributor of products containing CBD, or cannabidiol, which feature a bevy of health benefits similar to medicinal marijuana. The major difference is that CBD derived from natural hemp contains 0.3% THC or less, resulting in the lack of a high that marijuana is known for.

Establishing a solid reputation

Investment and market research company The Arcview Group CEO Troy Dayton emphasized the importance of getting a wide variety of celebrities to endorse medicinal marijuana. He stated, "One of the biggest challenges cannabis has is a certain narrow stereotype associated with it. When a celebrity who doesn't fit the stereotype [of a pot smoker] gets into promoting cannabis, it expands the conceptual footprint that cannabis has in the minds of current and potential consumers."

Whoopi Goldberg is one such celebrity that has gotten involved in the medicinal marijuana industry. Partnering up with Om Edibles founder and seven-time High Times Cannabis Cup award winner Maya Elisabeth resulted in the establishment of Whoopi and Maya, which distributes medicinal cannabis products for those suffering from menstrual pain and discomfort.

Available in California and Colorado, the cannabis lineup includes a bath soak, raw cacao, body balm, and herbal tincture.

Singer Melissa Etheridge is the owner of cannabis business Etheridge Farms, having personally experienced the healing properties of marijuana when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and used cannabis to deal with pain resulting from intensive chemotherapy. Etheridge Farms provides various cannabis products such as flower, edibles, and cartridges, to promote relaxation and basic needs such as appetite and sleep.

As celebrities continue to endorse medicinal marijuana with many supporting its legalization, their efforts are helping increase the trust and credibility of a substance that still has a relatively negative stigma attached to it as it remains illegal on the federal level.

With the incredibly potent abilities to treat many of the ailments that people suffer from on a daily basis, medicinal marijuana continues to gain traction throughout the rest of the world, and endorsements by various celebrities will only serve to promote it even further until the day marijuana is widely heralded and accepted for its multiple advantages.