Stacker takes a look at 10 pop culture moments that destigmatized weed, using a variety of sources such as IMDb, CannabisNow, KQED, and more. Olivia Monahan<\/em><\/p>\n In the United States, the stigma surrounding cannabis, known by various names including weed, Mary Jane, or marijuana, has undergone a complex journey from being classified as a Schedule I substance with a high potential for abuse and no medical value (a decision now under review) to becoming commonplace in modern culture.<\/p>\n Throughout much of the 20th century, marijuana remained highly stigmatized and classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law, alongside drugs like heroin and LSD. However, toward the latter part of the last century and gaining intense momentum in the 21st century, collective attitudes toward marijuana began to shift.<\/p>\n Medical marijuana legalization gained traction, starting with California\u2019s Proposition 215 in 1996. The passing of said prop marked a turning point: The ability to view cannabis as medicine versus a drug was a cornerstone argument for understanding and uplifting the mental and medical health benefits of the plant.<\/p>\n Over the past decade, significant legal developments have reshaped the landscape of marijuana policy in the United States. Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational marijuana for adult use in 2012, followed by similar legalization efforts across the country. Relaxed attitudes toward cannabis are also evident beyond the shores of the U.S., with marijuana now legal in a handful of countries such as Thailand, Mexico, Canada, and Uruguay, among others.<\/p>\n Parallel to these legal changes, pop culture has played a significant role in destigmatizing marijuana. Comedy, music, and movies have often shown cannabis use in a combination of both humorous and positive light, challenging age-old stereotypes and contributing to its acceptance in mainstream culture. These moments have assisted in the normalization of this all-natural medicine that some once viewed as the \u201cdevil\u2019s lettuce.\u201d<\/p>\n With that in mind, Stacker looked at some of the pivotal people and moments in pop culture that have contributed to the cannabis conversation. Scroll through and see if any of your favorites made the list.<\/p>\n Louis Armstrong is an undeniable legend of jazz. With his distinctive gravelly voice and wide smile, Armstrong inevitably conjures up images of dark, smoky rooms and inimitable trumpet playing. This iconic figure was a frequent user of cannabis, having first tried it in the 1920s, the age of Prohibition.<\/p>\n Armstrong called cannabis \u201cthe gage\u201d and explained to his biographer Max Jones, \u201cThat was our cute little nickname for marijuana\u2026We always looked at pot as a sort of medicine, a cheap drunk and with much better thoughts than one that\u2019s full of liquor.\u201d<\/p>\n The musician wasn\u2019t the only high one in those times\u2014fellow jazz players were, too, giving birth to ganja songs like \u201cThat Funny Reefer Man\u201d by Cab Calloway, \u201cSweet Marijuana Brown\u201d by Benny Goodman, and \u201cMuggles\u201d by Armstrong.<\/p>\n The 1936 film \u201cReefer Madness\u201d (originally titled \u201cTell Your Children\u201d) was released to enlighten parents about the dangers of cannabis. Initially financed by a church group as part of their outreach, the film portrays a group of high school students who get their hands on some weed and slowly descend into madness. Hallucinations, violence, and rape all come into play as these once aspiring youth fall victim to the dangers of the demon weed.<\/p>\n While many consider the film one of the worst of all time, it was rediscovered in the \u201970s. It took on a new life, becoming a cult classic that stoners worldwide mercilessly mocked for being ludicrous and blatantly fearmongering.<\/p>\n Bob Dylan was a longtime smoker of cannabis and saw it as a broadening experience. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t advise anybody to use drugs\u2014certainly not the hard drugs; drugs are medicine,\u201d he told Playboy in a 1966 interview. \u201cBut opium and hash and pot\u2014now, those things aren\u2019t drugs; they just bend your mind a little. I think everybody\u2019s mind should be bent once in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n It was Dylan who introduced the Beatles to cannabis in 1964 inside a New York City hotel room. Already a musical sensation at the time, the Beatles would only broaden their musical horizons after their encounters with cannabis, producing music that experimented with sound and rhythm.<\/p>\n Buffeted by the lofty status of these musical legends and with lyrics like Dylan\u2019s \u201cEverybody must get stoned\u201d or the Beatles\u2019 \u201cI get high with a little help from my friends,\u201d cannabis soon became a symbol of a counterculture movement in opposition to the Vietnam War and in support of feminism and the Civil Rights Movement.<\/p>\n The mention of cannabis on mainstream television through the \u201950s and \u201960s was few and far between. In the instances where it was mentioned, for example, in the crime series \u201cDragnet,\u201d showrunners portrayed weed\u2019s effects closer to that of heroin.<\/p>\n By the early \u201970s, however, counterculture\u2019s use of cannabis reopened the conversation in a new way, illustrated by the popular comedy series \u201cSanford and Son,\u201d primarily the 1974 episode \u201cFred\u2019s Treasure Garden.\u201d The episode showed the effects of marijuana in a far more realistic and positive light, inducing forgetfulness, a bit more kindness, and, yes, a craving for snacks.<\/p>\n Reggae music became heavily embraced in America during the counterculture movement. The music and message of Bob Marley and The Wailers, which broke through when \u201cRastaman Vibration\u201d was released in 1976, heavily embodied the new generation\u2019s desire to question authority, view spirituality from a different perspective, and embrace peace over war.<\/p>\n Concurrently, the Rastafari\u2019s spiritual connection to cannabis meant that Marley became an icon evangelizing its use. This stance showed up in his music and his unabashed advocacy for the legalization of weed. Even today, Marley\u2019s face is on countless cannabis equipment and posters calling for \u201cOne Love.\u201d<\/p>\n Comedians Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong brought a different perception of cannabis to the big screen with their 1978 classic \u201cUp in Smoke.\u201d The film showed the somewhat absurd side-effects of marijuana and didn\u2019t include any of the demonization, allowing audience members to relax their preconceptions and see an alternative perspective.<\/p>\n The movie was a surprise hit that continued to give, with Ice Cube making his own stoner film, \u201cFriday,\u201d and musicians like Soundgarden and Korn covering Cheech and Chong\u2019s music. \u201cUp in Smoke\u201d presaged a world where stoner films became a genre in itself, and cannabis was liberally used in society.<\/p>\n Though the stigma surrounding marijuana had gradually diminished since the \u201cMarijuana Menace\u201d of the early 20th century, a lingering taboo persisted, leading many individuals to consume it in secret, behind the safety of closed doors.<\/p>\n However, when Snoop Dogg was prominently featured in Dr. Dre\u2019s solo album \u201cThe Chronic\u201d in 1992 (and debut album \u201cDoggy Style\u201d rose to the top of Billboard charts a year later), his music brought marijuana use into mainstream conversations. His persona, characterized by open discussions about cannabis and his pointed public consumption without fear of judgment, further normalized its presence in everyday life. Writing for The Washington Post, Jeff Weiss credits \u201cThe Chronic\u201d for helping legalize marijuana.<\/p>\n A dark comedy show produced by Showtime, \u201cWeeds\u201d was a lighter kind of \u201cBreaking Bad\u201d that shows Nancy Botwin, a widowed mother of two, selling cannabis to keep up her family\u2019s upper-middle-class lifestyle.<\/p>\n When the show premiered, the legalization of cannabis was only getting in gear. About nine states had passed laws legalizing weed\u2019s medical use. As the show continued, however, public opinion on the substance continued to change, and more states approved cannabis for recreational use.<\/p>\n \u201cWeeds\u201d stoked public conversations about cannabis and went on to become one of the highest-rated original Showtime shows\u2014though some pointed out how it stereotypically depicted Black and Brown actors.<\/p>\n With weed recreationally legal in a variety of states, Netflix\u2019s short-lived comedy series \u201cDisjointed\u201d blazed a trail in terms of marijuana culture by bringing audiences behind the curtain and into the world of the retail dispensary world in a sitcom format. Through its colorful cast of characters (including Academy Award-winner Kathy Bates) and positive portrayal of life in the cannabis industry, the show challenged the norms, if only for a moment.<\/p>\n Netflix canceled the show after the first season due to low reviews and approval ratings. Nonetheless, the show played a role in advancing the concept of marijuana use by delving into the reasons why customers were purchasing, who they were, and the diverse community of cannabis industry workers.<\/p>\n As marijuana has found its way into the mainstream, the influence of pop culture on cannabis has extended beyond music, film, and television. Over the years, celebrities have attached their names to existing brands or created their own. But none have been as successful as the San Francisco rapper and businessman Berner, who has used his influence in the industry to reshape perceptions of both cannabis and the industry that surrounds it.<\/p>\n Through sleek and aesthetically appealing packaging, branding, and marketing akin to that of streetwear, Berner\u2019s savvy has pushed his Cookies brand to the forefront of the industry. The influencer and hip-hop artist has leveraged that success to normalize the once-taboo plant further.<\/p>\n Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n 10 pop culture moments that destigmatized weed Stacker takes a look at 10 pop culture moments that destigmatized weed, using a variety…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2288,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7],"tags":[2124,2126,2125,2123,2127],"yoast_head":"\n
\n– Roberto Ricciuti \/\/ Getty Images<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/analytics.stacker.com\/tracking\/073edbac-b839-4618-8d53-1f3b6fea4909\/pixel.gif?source=feed\"){kind=tracking}
![\"Louis](\"https:\/\/static.stacker.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/1280x720\/s3\/croppedGettyImages11375837012VRWjpg.JPEG\")
<\/p>\nNational Jazz Archive \/\/ Getty Images<\/h5>\n
Louis Armstrong\u2019s love for weed<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/static.stacker.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/1280x720\/s3\/croppedGettyImages826567070CXLjpg.JPEG\")
<\/p>\nHulton Archive \/\/ Getty Images<\/h5>\n
\u2018Reefer Madness\u2019 propaganda message turned cult classic<\/h2>\n
![\"Bob](\"https:\/\/static.stacker.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/1280x720\/s3\/croppedGettyImages9441252648815jpg.JPEG\")
<\/p>\nLeicester Mercury \/\/ Getty Images<\/h5>\n
Bob Dylan and the Beatles shape music history and cannabis use<\/h2>\n
![\"Redd](\"https:\/\/static.stacker.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/1280x720\/s3\/croppedGettyImages181482162BJjpg.JPEG\")
<\/p>\n NBC Television \/\/ Getty Images<\/h5>\n
\u2018Sanford and Son\u2019 portrays kinder cannabis effects<\/h2>\n
![\"Bob](\"https:\/\/static.stacker.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/1280x720\/s3\/croppedGettyImages849128874DP3jpg.JPEG\")
<\/p>\nMike Prior \/\/ Getty Images<\/h5>\n
Bob Marley and the spiritual value of weed<\/h2>\n
![\"Cheech](\"https:\/\/static.stacker.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/1280x720\/s3\/croppedGettyImages631773333RPMUjpg.JPEG\")
<\/p>\n Sonia Moskowitz \/\/ Getty Images<\/h5>\n
Cheech and Chong\u2019s \u2018Up in Smoke\u2019 predates modern cannabis conversations<\/h2>\n
![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/static.stacker.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/1280x720\/s3\/croppedGettyImages482780953CEA9jpg.JPEG\")
<\/p>\nAl Pereira \/\/ Getty Images<\/h5>\n
Snoop Dogg in Dr. Dre\u2019s \u2018The Chronic\u2019 helps legalize cannabis<\/h2>\n
![\"Weeds](\"https:\/\/static.stacker.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/1280x720\/s3\/croppedGettyImages149550392E8KOjpg.JPEG\")
<\/p>\nFrederick M. Brown \/\/ Getty Images<\/h5>\n
Showtime\u2019s \u2018Weeds\u2019 wades into the cannabis territory<\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/static.stacker.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/1280x720\/s3\/croppedGettyImages838676878OVJ0jpg.JPEG\")
<\/p>\nTasia Wells \/\/ Getty Images<\/h5>\n
Netflix\u2019s \u2018Disjointed\u2019 shows the spectrum of cannabis users<\/h2>\n
![\"Berner](\"https:\/\/static.stacker.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/1280x720\/s3\/croppedGettyImages1443006625LBILjpg.JPEG\")
<\/p>\nScott Dudelson \/\/ Getty Images<\/h5>\n
Berner and the Cookies markets cannabis like streetwear<\/h2>\n
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#pop #culture #moments #destigmatized #weed<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"