11 Celebrities Cashing In On Cannabis

As cannabis becomes a go-to source for a myriad of health benefits, celebrity endorsements are normalizing the herb more than ever.

Legally speaking, cannabis has slowly been making progress, shifting our cultural perspective so much so that it seems like celebrities openly embracing the drug should be the norm. It isn’t. Despite the fact that cannabis is more mainstream than ever, there are still people in the world who have trouble understanding it, which makes endorsing a product a sticky situation for any celebrity worried about ruining their image.

But attaching their name to cannabis was a no-brainer for these 11 celebrities.

Justin Bieber

Photo by Stuart Franklin/Staff/Getty Images

In October of this year, Justin Bieber announced a partnership with Palms. Bieber and Palms collaborated on pre-rolls aptly name “Peaches,” after the hit song released on Bieber’s last record, “Justice.” A portion of the pre-roll sales will go to the Last Prisoner Project, which advocates for criminal justice reform around drug policy. “Weed was something that I felt people tried to make me feel bad for enjoying,” Bieber told Vogue. “But I’ve now found a place in my life for weed products that have been beneficial in my human experience.”

Lil’ Kim

11 Celebrities Cashing In On Cannabis — Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Lil’ Kim is launching her own line of cannabis products, titled Aphrodisiac. The brand will be launched in partnership with Superbad Inc, and products will consist of cannabis flower, starting with a California rollout in early 2022. Lil’ Kim hopes to expand her product line to other major cities, including New York, Michigan and New Jersey.

Chelsea Handler

10 celebs who recently made the leap into the cannabis biz — Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Staff/Getty Images

Comedienne Chelsea Handler has spoken up about the perks of therapy, meditation and weed, and how these three things have helped her cut down on her drinking and to stay more calm and present. “Now you can microdose. Microdosing is taking minimal amounts so you’re not overdosing on that THC feeling. Everybody’s coming out with different versions to treat people. I take a gummy every night to sleep,” she told Health.

In 2020, she partnered with cannabis brand Sweet Flower, curating their Evolution Kit. Handler included her favorite cannabis products, which include pre-rolls from Aster Farms, chocolate covered blueberries from Kiva Confections and CANN’s cannabis infused social tonics.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Oscar winning actress and Goop CEO Gwyneth Paltrow has also made investments in the cannabis industry, specifically products geared towards people who want to explore sober drinks. “There’s a whole sober-curious movement that’s going on and the cannabis-curious movement that’s going on, this is kind of at the intersection of those things in a way,” she said.

Paltrow is referring to her partnership with cannabis-infused beverage maker CANN. “We’re very clearly and definitively moving in the direction of cannabis being legalized, and I think it should be,” said Paltrow. “I’m actually not a big personal user of it. But I do think that there are amazing medicinal qualities to it and it is really helpful for a lot of people.”

Back in 2017, Paltrow spoke highly about marijuana and it’s medicinal benefits.

Seth Rogen

Seth Rogen and longtime writing partner Evan Goldberg devised Houseplant, a recreational marijuana company. “Houseplant is a passion we’ve brought to life through drive and dedication,” Rogen said in a press release. “Every decision we’ve made for the business reflects the years of education, first-hand experience and respect we have for cannabis.”

The result of years of experience and dedication, Houseplant was initially backed in collaboration with the Ontario-based grower Canopy Growth. The two parted way over the summer. Rogen explained that Houseplant is not only about creating high quality products, but it’s also about helping consumers understand cannabis on a deeper level. Earlier this year, Houseplant became available in the U.S..

Margaret Cho

5 Celebrities Who Have Invested In The Cannabis Industry — Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

Comedian, actress and fashion designer Margaret Cho is a big fan of cannabis. “It stimulates everything—your creativity, your hunger,” she said on TruTV, back in November 2015. When it comes to the business side of things, Cho has designed her own strain of cannabis, a riff of OG Kush called Margaret Cho-G. It stems from the San Francisco Bay Area and it has powerfully relaxing effects with a side of the giggles.

Martha Stewart

Perhaps one of the most controversial and successful weed celebrities, Martha Stewart has been involved with cannabis in many ways, whether on her cooking show with Snoop Dogg or launching a brand of CBD products. In September 2020, the queen of lifestyle branding partnered with Canopy Growth to launch her own line of CBD products, simply called Martha Stewart CBD. The products are geared towards people who are curious about cannabis, but maybe not ready to make the full jump.

Jay-Z

Photo by Brian Ach/Stringer/Getty Images

In 2020 Jay-Z was named chief visionary officer of The Parent Company, a conglomerate of companies that includes Caliva and Left Coast Ventures, two businesses that focus on cannabis and hemp. The goal of the new venture is to “redefine the industry with a mission to both consolidate the California cannabis market and create an impactful global company.”

As CVO, Jay-Z guides brand strategy and Social Equity Ventures, a fund that invests in Black and minority owned cannabis businesses as well as contributing to progressive criminal justice initiatives. “Although we know we can’t fully redeem the injustices created by the ‘war on drugs’, we can help shape a brighter and inclusive future,” said Jay-Z in a statement. “The brands we build will pave a new path forward for a legacy rooted in equity, access, and justice. We’re creating something people can trust and we’re investing in our future, our people, and our communities.”

Kristen Bell

Actress Kristen Bell has long been a proponent of CBD products, but her partnership with Lord Jones marks the first time she’s launched her own brand. Happy Dance is a line made up of three relaxing products: a bath bomb, a body butter and a coconut melt.

In an interview with Allure, Bell explained that she’s been a fan of Lord Jones for a long time, and that she reached out to them after trying out their CBD lotion. When making Happy Dance she wanted to create a line of high quality CBD products that were available to all sorts of people, with the prices starting at $15. Compared to the competition, it’s not a bad price.

Megan Rapinoe

In 2019, Megan Rapinoe partnered with Mendi, a Portland-based CBD brand developed with female athletes in mind. Rachel Rapinoe, one of the co-founders of the brand and Megan’s sister, said: “No other CBD brand has signed an athlete as recognizable as Rapinoe and who are still playing. She wants a robust role to help us grow from an underdog to a global CBD sports brand.”

Mendi’s mission is to provide athletes with different and healthy options for recovery and sleep aid, all using natural elements. Since THC still holds some stigma for athletes, Mendi provides powerful products that are CBD based.

Jaleel White

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Known for playing Steve Urkel in the show “Family Matters,” Jaleel White is now a cannabis businessman. Made in partnership with 720 Labs, itsPurpl is a brand focused exclusively on purple weed, something that no one else in the industry is doing. While it’s mostly an aesthetic thing, purple cannabis has long been a source of interest for many cannabis users, having rich colors and scents that entices all sorts of people.