5 Successful CEO’s & Billionaires Who Use Cannabis

5 Successful CEO’s & Billionaires Who Use Cannabis

5 Successful Billionaire CEOS That Smoke Weed from CannabisNet on Vimeo.

Cannabis use in the professional world still comes with a certain stigma.

Judging a successful professional based on their pot habits is still common, even if happy hours and cigarette breaks are considered normal (although they’re much more harmful to your health). Even if we live in a time when cannabis is legal in a majority of US states, for a professional to admit cannabis use is still considered taboo.

But that hasn’t stopped many of the most successful professionals and millionaires in the world from toking up. So the next time someone tells you that smoking pot will make you stupid or will prevent you from achieving a successful career, here’s a list of some of the biggest and wealthiest names in business who have admitted to using pot:

Steve Jobs: The computer, tablet, or iPhone from which you’re reading this very article was probably conceived on pot. Steve Jobs, one of the greatest and most creative minds of our time, was known to be smoking pot more back in the day. Before he died in 2011, Jobs was candid about his drug use, which included cannabis as well as LSD. He admitted to baking brownies or smoking up with friends, although he hasn’t done so since the late 70’s. At the time of Jobs’ death, his net worth was estimated to be $10.2 billion.

Richard Branson: The founder of Virgin Airlines, Richard Branson, has admitted to having personal experience with cannabis. In 2007, he told a GQ interview that he got high with his son, Sam, when they went to Australia for a beach vacation. Branson supports cannabis use and his net worth in 2018 is estimated at $5 billion! He also told Piers Morgan that none other than Keith Richards taught him how to roll a joint. Branson is an advocate of cannabis legalization and earlier this year, he harshly criticized the current US drug policy. “What the US doesn’t need is another frontline in the War on Drugs. Decriminalization, regulation, and harm reduction are the way to go. Everything else will cost lives and money,” he said. We agree completely.

George Zimmer: You probably remember him best for being the ex-CEO of Men’s Wearhouse. He’s well-known for saying, “You’re going to like the way you look. I guarantee it.” Zimmer was fired sometime ago, but he’s one of the most famous and successful cannabis users in business. Zimmer admitted to using cannabis for half a century, and is now an advocate for legalization. He also told CNBC that prohibition is “the biggest con that has been perpetrated on this country in the last century.” In 2010, Zimmer donated $50,000 to the unsuccessful Proposition 19 ballot initiative in California which would have legalized recreational cannabis use. He’s also spoken at cannabis conferences that have been held in Nevada, Oregon, and California. Zimmer also admitted that cannabis has helped wean him off alcoholism. “The fact is – and I mean the scientific fact – marijuana is less toxic and dangerous than cigarettes and alcohol, which are the main drugs in the United States,” Zimmer said.

Oprah Winfrey: Oprah will be a household name for years to come, and she’s worth $3 billion. Even though she isn’t as visible on television anymore, she’s still the CEO and chairwoman of Harpo Productions as well as the Oprah Winfrey Network, where she also sits as CCO. Although she hasn’t actively supported cannabis legalization, she has admitted to smoking it and the last time was back in 1982.

Mark Johnson: A name less well-known compared to the big ones on this list, Mark Johnson made his mark in tech and business as the CEO and founder of Descartes Labs, an artificial intelligence and tech company. Prior to that, he was also the CEO of Zite, a Silicon Valley-based personalized news streaming service. When he was working for Zite, he told Bloomberg News that he was a hardcore stoner, smoked up day and night. “People just don’t care,” he said. “If you do, you don’t need to hide it, and if you don’t, you accept that there are people around you that do.” He even defended the common misconception that stoners are lazy. “Pot is an extremely functional drug,” Johnson said. “Coders can code on it, writers can write on it.” Right on!