List of Inventors Who Smoke Weed

• Cannabis use spans tech pioneers to Nobel laureates – From Steve Jobs documenting marijuana use in government security clearances to multiple verified cannabis users shaping modern technology and science
• Silicon Valley has deep cannabis roots – Multiple leaders associated with the world’s most valuable tech companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Tesla, and McAfee, have publicly confirmed cannabis use during their careers
• Vaporizer technology was heavily shaped by cannabis users – Modern cannabis vaporization was driven by user-inventors like Jürgen Bickel and Eagle Bill Amato who wanted healthier ways to consume their own cannabis
• A Nobel Prize winner credited psychedelics for his breakthrough – Kary Mullis, inventor of PCR technology that revolutionized genetics and forensics, openly discussed drug experimentation in his autobiography
• Cannabis industry pioneers used their own products – Rick Simpson developed his famous extraction method by testing it on himself, while Storz & Bickel’s Volcano has been on the market for over 25 years
• Documentation ranges from federal files to live video – Evidence includes DoD security clearances, FBI background checks, autobiographies, and Elon Musk smoking on camera during the Joe Rogan podcast

Steve Jobs revolutionized personal computing, smartphones, and digital music through inventions including the Apple I, Apple II, Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. His cannabis use is among the most thoroughly documented of any inventor, thanks to federal government records.

• Key inventions: Co-invented the Apple personal computer with Steve Wozniak; led development of Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and iPad; holds numerous patents for user interfaces and hardware design
• Evidence of use: Department of Defense applications from 1988, obtained through FOIA requests, contain his handwritten admissions
• Frequency: He reported weekly marijuana use during the 1970s for several years
• Personal perspective: Stated marijuana made him “relaxed and creative”
• Additional verification: FBI background check documents from 1991 and Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography corroborate his drug use

Jobs represents the counterculture roots of Silicon Valley, where cannabis and psychedelics were seen as tools for expanding consciousness and thinking differently about technology’s possibilities.

Bill Gates co-developed the Microsoft BASIC interpreter—one of the first microcomputer programming languages—and helped lead Microsoft’s early OS strategy (MS-DOS era) and Windows’ rise. After decades of privacy, Gates finally discussed his cannabis use publicly.

• Key inventions: Microsoft BASIC interpreter; helped lead early Microsoft OS strategy; holds numerous foundational software patents
• Evidence of use: Memoir “Source Code: My Beginnings” published February 2025 contains direct admissions
• Timeline: Used cannabis in high school through his early 20s
• Motivation: Initially tried marijuana “thinking it might make me look cool”
• Why he stopped: Quit because marijuana made his thinking feel sloppy
• Source of introduction: Credited Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen: “He got me drunk, he gave me pot”

Gates’ admission came surprisingly late compared to his peers, reflecting his more conservative public persona even while building one of tech’s most dominant companies.

Elon Musk is listed as an inventor on numerous patents spanning rocket technology, electric vehicles, battery systems, and brain-computer interfaces. His cannabis use became international news when he smoked during a podcast viewed by millions.

• Key inventions: Reusable rocket technology and Falcon 9 components (SpaceX); electric vehicle systems, battery technology, and Autopilot (Tesla); brain-computer interfaces (Neuralink); pioneered online payment systems at X.com/PayPal
• Evidence of use: Smoked marijuana live on video during Joe Rogan Experience podcast Episode #1169 on September 7, 2018
• His response when offered: “I mean, it’s legal” (the podcast was filmed in California)
• Professional consequences: Musk said he was subject to random drug testing afterward; later reporting describes it as lasting multiple years due to SpaceX’s federal contracts
• Media coverage: The episode was covered extensively by CNN, CNBC, CBS News, and Reuters

The incident demonstrated the tension between cannabis normalization and federal contracting requirements, as SpaceX works closely with NASA and the Department of Defense.

John McAfee created VirusScan in 1987—one of the first major commercial antivirus products ever brought to market. His later life became defined by eccentric behavior and open drug advocacy.

• Key inventions: VirusScan antivirus software (1987); co-founded Tribal Voice and created PowWow, one of the first instant messaging programs; pioneered cybersecurity technology
• Evidence of use: Documented extensively in Showtime documentary “Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee” (2016) and Netflix documentary “Running With the Devil” (2022)
• Public advocacy: Campaigned for cannabis decriminalization during his 2016 and 2020 Libertarian presidential runs
• Self-parody: His 2013 YouTube video “How to Uninstall McAfee Antivirus” openly mocked media coverage of his drug use and received millions of views
• Lifestyle: Lived a controversial life that included running from authorities in Belize while film crews documented his activities

McAfee represents the extreme end of the spectrum—an inventor whose later cannabis and drug use became inseparable from his public identity.

Kary Mullis invented the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in 1983—a revolutionary technique for amplifying DNA that transformed genetics, forensics, and molecular biology. He won the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this breakthrough.

• Key invention: PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)—the technique that made DNA analysis practical and enabled everything from crime scene forensics to COVID-19 testing
• Evidence of use: Openly discussed in his autobiography “Dancing Naked in the Mind Field” (1998), which describes his use of LSD, marijuana, and nitrous oxide
• Cultural context: Stated in California Monthly interview: “Back in the 1960s and early ’70s I took plenty of LSD. A lot of people were doing that in Berkeley back then”
• Controversial claim: Albert Hofmann (inventor of LSD) later said Mullis told him LSD helped inspire PCR (a second-hand account)
• Scientific legacy: Mullis wrote candidly about experimenting with multiple substances

Mullis was notoriously unconventional and refused to downplay his drug experimentation even after winning the Nobel Prize, making him one of the most candid scientists about substance use.

Jürgen Bickel co-founded Storz & Bickel GmbH and holds multiple patents on the iconic Volcano vaporizer system, including the patented detachable balloon chamber and forced-air heating technology. Storz & Bickel’s medical line (e.g., Volcano Medic 2) has medical-device authorization in jurisdictions including Canada and Australia.

• Key inventions: Volcano vaporizer patents; subsequent devices including Mighty, Crafty, and Venty; vaporizers with medical device certifications in select international markets
• Evidence of use: When asked directly “Were you already smoking cannabis at that time?” he responded: “Yes, we had experience”
• Origin story: “My partner, Markus Storz” came up with this concept, and I was one of the first clients
• Product timeline: The Volcano has been on the market for over 25 years
• Philosophy: Advocates for recreational users because he believes at least half are also medicinal users

Bickel’s story illustrates how personal cannabis use can directly inspire technological innovation when inventors solve problems they experience firsthand.

Markus Storz is the primary inventor of the Volcano vaporizer, filing the patent for the “hot air generator” convection heating system in 1998 and the balloon chamber patent in 1999. He built the first working prototypes in his basement.

• Key inventions: Volcano convection heating system (patent filed 1998); balloon chamber system (patent filed 1999); manufactured first prototypes personally
• Motivation for invention: “In the beginning” I was only looking for a vaporizer for myself, and if I had found one that worked well at that time, I would have probably never invented the Volcano
• Inspiration moment: “It started in 1996” when Markus Storz saw someone using a heat gun to vaporize cannabis
• Design goal: He designed it to avoid combustion and make inhalation easier
• Impact: Created an entirely new product category that transformed how millions consume cannabis

Storz represents the archetypal inventor-user: someone who identified a problem in their own life and engineered a solution that became an industry standard.

Frank William Wood (1942–2005), known as Eagle Bill Amato, invented the Eagle Bill Shake ‘N’ Vape—one of the first commercially available portable vaporizers. His demonstrations in Amsterdam helped normalize vaporization among medical users.

• Key invention: Eagle Bill Shake ‘N’ Vape portable vaporizer
• Evidence of use: Autobiography “10% THC” details how cannabis “changed his perspective on life” after a friend introduced him in the 1960s
• Duration: Grew cannabis for over 30 years
• Public demonstrations: Semi-permanent exhibit at Amsterdam’s Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum from 1993 until his death, demonstrating vaporization to thousands annually
• Famous quote: “This plant does so much for me, and I want to do everything for it. It’s given me everything in the world that I’ve ever wanted”
• Recognition: Received Cannabis Culture Award in 2005 for his contributions

Eagle Bill bridged the gap between cannabis advocacy and technological innovation, spending his final decade publicly demonstrating that vaporization offered a healthier alternative to smoking.

Rick Simpson developed the Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) extraction method—a full-spectrum cannabis oil extraction technique using solvent-based processes that became a global phenomenon. Rather than patenting his invention, he published the methods freely.

• Key invention: RSO extraction method—a concentrated cannabis oil extraction technique now used worldwide
• Evidence of use: Simpson claimed he applied his own oil directly to suspected skin cancer lesions in 2003; this remains anecdotal and is not clinical proof of cancer treatment
• Earlier cannabis use: After a workplace accident caused health issues, he sourced it himself and found it “revolutionary”
• Documentation: Published extraction methods in books including “Phoenix Tears: The Rick Simpson Story” rather than seeking patents
• Advocacy: Became an international cannabis activist, teaching his extraction methods freely

Note: Simpson’s claims about cannabis treating cancer are anecdotal and not supported by clinical evidence. This is not medical advice; consult a healthcare professional for any health concerns.

Simpson’s entire innovation story is built on personal experimentation—he invented a product specifically to use on himself and then shared it with the world without seeking profit.

Richard Feynman won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his contributions to quantum electrodynamics. His inventions and foundational contributions include Feynman diagrams, the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, and concepts foundational to quantum computing.

• Key contributions: Feynman diagrams (still used universally in particle physics); path integral formulation of quantum mechanics; foundational concepts in quantum computing and nanotechnology; critical Manhattan Project work
• Evidence of consciousness exploration: His 1985 bestselling autobiography “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!” discusses experiments with altered states using sensory deprivation tanks
• Book’s impact: Spent 14 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list
• Scientific approach: Feynman wrote about consciousness exploration and sensory deprivation, but we did not find reliable primary source documentation confirming marijuana use

Feynman’s willingness to discuss consciousness exploration in a bestselling memoir demonstrated that scientific achievement and exploring altered states weren’t mutually exclusive.

The verified inventors with documented cannabis use cluster heavily in technology and biotechnology sectors. This isn’t coincidental—several factors explain the pattern:

• Counterculture origins: Silicon Valley emerged from the same 1960s-70s California counterculture that embraced cannabis and psychedelics as consciousness-expanding tools
• Professional risk tolerance: Tech’s startup culture historically valued disruption over conformity, reducing the career penalties for admitting cannabis use
• Documentation opportunities: Tech figures write memoirs, give extensive interviews, and maintain public profiles that create opportunities for cannabis admissions
• California geography: Many tech inventors worked in California, where cannabis culture was deeply embedded and eventually legalized

By contrast, inventors in aerospace, medical devices, traditional manufacturing, and defense-related fields face severe professional consequences for cannabis disclosure due to federal contracting requirements and industry conservatism.

Three of the ten inventors on this list—Jürgen Bickel, Markus Storz, and Eagle Bill Amato—specifically invented cannabis consumption devices. Their innovations emerged directly from personal use:

• Problem identification: Each experienced limitations with existing consumption methods
• Solution development: Built devices that solved their own problems
• Market validation: Their personal experience confirmed product-market fit before any formal research

This pattern—inventors solving problems they personally experience—is common across industries but particularly visible in cannabis technology, where stigma prevented mainstream companies from entering the space.

Despite internet claims about Thomas Edison, George Washington, and other historical figures, we did not find reliable primary documentation for widely-circulated claims about pre-1970 inventors. The reasons include:

• Hemp vs. cannabis confusion: Many historical figures cultivated industrial hemp for rope and textiles, but this doesn’t indicate psychoactive cannabis use
• Documentation gaps: Pre-modern figures rarely documented personal drug use in ways that survived
• Myth propagation: Unverified claims spread widely online without primary source support

Researchers should approach historical cannabis claims skeptically unless supported by autobiographies, letters, or other primary documentation.