List of Politicians Who Smoke Weed

• You’re witnessing unprecedented political honesty – From Bill Clinton’s infamous “didn’t inhale” to Barack Obama’s candid “that was the point,” politicians are increasingly open about past cannabis use
• The hypocrisy gap is real – Multiple politicians who admitted using cannabis later opposed legalization or even prosecuted users, highlighting the complex politics of personal experience versus public policy
• Party lines are blurring – Both Democrats and Republicans now have high-profile members who’ve admitted cannabis use, reflecting changing public attitudes across the political spectrum
• Recent national leadership has included cannabis users – former Vice President Kamala Harris is among the highest-ranking U.S. officials to have openly acknowledged cannabis use
• Your cannabis choices are increasingly validated – With about two-thirds of Americans supporting legalization and politicians across the spectrum having personal experience, the stigma continues to fade
• Education matters more than ever – Understanding different cannabis strains and responsible consumption is crucial whether you’re a political leader or everyday consumer
• Access to quality products is expanding – As political barriers fall, finding legitimate dispensaries and quality cannabis products becomes easier for everyone

American politicians’ relationship with marijuana has evolved dramatically over the past four decades. What was once a career-ending admission is now a relatively routine revelation, reflecting broader societal acceptance as recreational cannabis becomes legal in 24 states. However, the disconnect between personal experience and public policy remains stark for many elected officials. As you explore your own cannabis journey through resources like Herb’s products catalog, it’s worth understanding how America’s political leaders have navigated their own relationship with the plant.

Political Party: Democratic | Years in Office: 2009-2017 | Current Stance: Supports reform

“When I was a kid, I inhaled frequently. That was the point.”

During a 2006 interview before his presidential campaign, Obama openly discussed his regular marijuana use in high school Hawaii as a member of the “Choom Gang” – a group known for their innovative smoking techniques and creative terminology. Unlike predecessors who minimized their experience, Obama embraced the reality of his cannabis use, even detailing it in his memoir “Dreams from My Father.”

The Admission: Obama’s admission represented a significant shift toward authenticity in political discourse about drug use, openly discussing habitual marijuana use rather than downplaying it.

The Policy: While president, Obama took a hands-off approach to state cannabis laws and supported medical marijuana, though he stopped short of advocating for federal legalization during his presidency.

Why It Matters: Obama became the first U.S. president to openly discuss habitual marijuana use, normalizing what many Americans already knew from their own experience and helping destigmatize cannabis use among mainstream voters.

Political Party: Democratic | Years in Office: 1993-2001 | Current Stance: Mixed

“When I was in England, I experimented with marijuana a time or two, and I didn’t like it and didn’t inhale and never tried it again.”

During the 1992 New York primary debate, Clinton made his famous “didn’t inhale” defense, becoming the first major presidential candidate to admit any marijuana use. Clinton’s carefully worded admission suggested minimal experimentation, though Christopher Hitchens later claimed in his memoir that Clinton actually preferred cannabis edibles like brownies during his Oxford days.

The Admission: Clinton’s “didn’t inhale” quote became the cultural touchstone for political cannabis admissions for decades, establishing the template for defensive, minimization-focused confessions.

The Policy: Despite his admission, Clinton signed legislation that strengthened drug penalties and opposed marijuana legalization throughout his presidency, creating a notable contradiction between personal experience and public policy.

Why It Matters: The quote established a pattern of defensive political cannabis admissions that many politicians would follow for the next two decades.

Political Party: Democratic | Years in Office: 2021-2025 | Current Stance: Supports federal legalization

“I smoked marijuana when I was in college.”

During a 2019 radio interview while running for president, Harris acknowledged her past cannabis use, though her timeline became controversial after commentators claimed her comments about listening to Snoop Dogg and Tupac in college didn’t match their release dates. Harris is among the highest-ranking U.S. official in recent history to admit past cannabis use, but her admission comes with complicated context given her history as San Francisco District Attorney and California Attorney General, where she prosecuted marijuana cases.

The Admission: Harris’s matter-of-fact acknowledgment reflects the modern political reality where past cannabis use doesn’t preclude reaching the highest offices.

The Policy: Harris now supports federal cannabis legalization and has advocated for expunging past convictions, representing a significant evolution from her prosecutorial past.

Why It Matters: Harris embodies both progress (reaching Vice President despite past use) and the complex relationship between personal experience and professional responsibility in the criminal justice system.

Political Party: Republican | Years in Office: 2001-2009 | Current Stance: Opposed legalization

“I wouldn’t answer the marijuana questions. You know why? Because I don’t want some little kid doing what I tried.”

Bush never directly admitted to cannabis use during his campaigns, but taped conversations with Doug Wead made public in 2005 revealed that he deliberately avoided answering questions about his past experimentation so as not to encourage children to copy him. Bush’s reasoning for avoiding the topic during his campaigns was specifically to avoid influencing children, not because he had nothing to hide; he also openly acknowledged a troubled past with alcohol while carefully sidestepping questions about cocaine.

The Admission: Bush represents the transitional period in American politics where cannabis use was common among the elite but still considered too controversial to acknowledge openly during campaigns.

The Policy: As president, Bush maintained strong opposition to relaxing marijuana laws and continued aggressive anti-drug policies, despite his personal experience.

Why It Matters: Bush’s reluctant admission through leaked tapes highlighted the gap between private reality and public political positioning on cannabis.

Political Party: Democratic | Years in Office: 1993-2001 | Current Stance: Mixed

“Infrequent and rare”

During his 1988 presidential campaign, Gore became the first major presidential candidate to admit marijuana use, paving the way for Clinton’s later admission. Gore acknowledged using cannabis “infrequently and rarely” during his time at Harvard, while serving in Vietnam, and as a journalist, though some accounts suggest his use at Harvard was actually more regular than his public statements indicated.

The Admission: Gore’s 1988 admission was groundbreaking for its time, demonstrating that presidential candidates could acknowledge past drug use without immediate political destruction.

The Policy: As vice president, Gore supported the Clinton administration’s drug policies that maintained prohibition, despite his personal experience.

Why It Matters: Gore pioneered the political cannabis admission in 1988, proving it could be survived politically though it remained a risky revelation.

Political Party: Independent (caucuses with Democrats) | Years in Office: 2007-present | Current Stance: Strongly supports legalization

“I smoked marijuana twice, didn’t quite work for me. It’s not my thing, but it is the thing of a whole lot of people.”

During a 2015 Yahoo News interview, Sanders candidly admitted his limited experience with cannabis, noting it “made me cough a lot.” Sanders’ honesty about his lack of personal enjoyment while strongly supporting legalization demonstrates principle over personal preference – a rare quality in political cannabis discourse.

The Admission: Sanders’ frank acknowledgment that cannabis wasn’t personally enjoyable to him makes his advocacy for legalization even more principled.

The Policy: Sanders has been a consistent advocate for cannabis reform, filing legislation in 2015 to allow states to legalize marijuana and consistently supporting federal legalization.

Why It Matters: Ranked #1 on the Marijuana Policy Project’s “Top 50 Most Influential Marijuana Consumers,” Sanders represents the ideal of policy based on evidence and civil liberties rather than personal experience.

Political Party: Democratic (formerly Republican/Independent) | Years in Office: 2002-2013 | Current Stance: Mixed

“You bet I did. And I enjoyed it.”

During a 2002 BBC interview, Bloomberg gave one of the most enthusiastic cannabis admissions from any major politician, expressing genuine enjoyment rather than regret. Bloomberg’s unapologetic tone stood in stark contrast to the defensive postures typical of political cannabis admissions, reflecting his independent political style and billionaire confidence.

The Admission: Bloomberg’s refreshingly honest admission demonstrated that politicians could acknowledge cannabis use without the typical minimization or defensiveness.

The Policy: As mayor, Bloomberg maintained relatively tough drug policies despite his personal admission, though he later expressed support for decriminalization during his 2020 presidential campaign.Why It Matters: Bloomberg’s enthusiasm helped normalize cannabis as something successful people could enjoy and discuss openly.

Political Party: Republican | Years in Office: 2003-2011 | Current Stance: Supports legalization

“It’s not a drug, it’s a leaf.”

Schwarzenegger’s cannabis use was actually captured on film in the 1977 documentary “Pumping Iron,” showing him smoking before his political career began. As governor, Schwarzenegger signed legislation in 2010 that reduced marijuana possession from a criminal offense to a civil infraction in California, demonstrating policy alignment with his personal experience.

The Admission: Schwarzenegger is the only politician on this list with actual video evidence of cannabis use from before his political career.

The Policy: Schwarzenegger consistently supported cannabis reform during his governorship, including signing the 2010 decriminalization bill and later expressing support for full legalization.

Why It Matters: Schwarzenegger showed rare consistency between personal experience and public policy, actually implementing cannabis reform during his tenure.

Political Party: Republican | Years in Office: 1979-1999 | Current Stance: Opposed legalization

Gingrich acknowledged smoking marijuana once during graduate school and later suggested it was more acceptable at the time because he saw it as happening in a different moral climate. Gingrich’s attempt to frame his past use as a product of its era clashed sharply with his later prohibitionist stance, especially when he supported a 1996 bill that proposed the death penalty for trafficking certain quantities of marijuana, including relatively small amounts.

The Admission: Gingrich’s effort to portray his past marijuana use as a product of a different moral era represents one of the more convoluted attempts to reconcile personal cannabis experimentation with staunch opposition to legalization.

The Policy: Despite his own cannabis use, Gingrich became one of the most aggressive anti-drug politicians in Congress, even accusing Clinton administration officials of being drug users while hiding his own history.

Why It Matters: Gingrich represents the peak of political hypocrisy on cannabis – an admitted user who supported capital punishment for large-scale marijuana trafficking.

Political Party: Democratic | Years in  Office: 1985-2017 | Current Stance: Mixed

“Yes.”

During a 2003 Democratic primary debate, Kerry gave the most concise cannabis admission in political history – a simple “Yes” when asked which candidates had used marijuana. Kerry’s one-word response stood in stark contrast to the elaborate explanations typical of political cannabis admissions, showing refreshing directness during a presidential campaign.

The Admission: Kerry’s simple “Yes” represented a turning point where cannabis admission became so normalized that elaborate explanations were no longer necessary.

The Policy: As a presidential nominee and later Secretary of State, Kerry maintained relatively moderate positions on drug policy, supporting medical marijuana but stopping short of advocating full legalization.

Why It Matters: Kerry demonstrated that by 2003, cannabis admissions could be handled with minimal fanfare during major political campaigns.

Political Party: Republican | Years in Office: 2013-present | Current Stance: Supports states’ rights

“Foolishly experimented with marijuana”

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Cruz acknowledged teenage cannabis use through a spokesperson, who characterized it as a “foolish mistake.” Cruz never personally discussed his cannabis use in detail, relying instead on spokesperson statements that framed his experience as typical teenage experimentation.

The Admission: Cruz’s spokesperson-filtered admission represents the modern conservative approach of acknowledging past use while framing it as regrettable.

The Policy: Cruz supports states’ rights on cannabis legalization, arguing that individual states should decide their own policies rather than having federal mandates.

Why It Matters: Cruz represents the modern conservative approach to cannabis – acknowledging past use while maintaining a “states’ rights” position that avoids taking a clear stance on legalization itself.

Political Party: Republican | Years in Office: 1999-2007 | Current Stance: Opposed legalization

“40 years ago I smoked marijuana and I admit it… My mom’s not happy.”

During a September 2015 CNN Republican debate, Bush openly admitted to past cannabis use, famously apologizing to his mother on Twitter afterward with “Sorry Mom.” A friend from Phillips Academy Andover confirmed that Bush was a regular cannabis user in high school, suggesting his experience was more extensive than his brief admission indicated.

The Admission: Bush’s “Sorry Mom” moment humanized political cannabis admissions, showing that even establishment Republicans could acknowledge past use without political destruction.

The Policy: Despite his personal experience, Bush opposed marijuana legalization during his governorship and presidential campaign, maintaining traditional Republican drug policy positions.

Why It Matters: Bush demonstrated that family-friendly, apologetic admissions could work for conservative politicians navigating their cannabis past.

Political Party: Republican | Years in Office: 2006-2009 | Current Stance: Medical only

“Smoked just once when it was legal in Alaska.”

Palin acknowledged smoking marijuana “just once” during her youth, emphasizing that it was legal in Alaska at the time (1975-1990). As the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, Palin’s admission was notable for its emphasis on the legal context, suggesting her use wasn’t rebellious but rather compliant with local laws.

The Admission: Palin’s Alaska-specific defense highlighted how cannabis laws have varied dramatically across states and time periods.

The Policy: Palin now opposes recreational legalization but supports medical marijuana, representing a common conservative evolution on cannabis policy.

Why It Matters: Palin’s legal-context defense provided a unique justification that other politicians hadn’t used, that her cannabis use was actually lawful at the time.

Political Party: Republican | Years in Office: 1989-2019 | Current Stance: Supports legalization

“The first time in a year and a half that I had a decent night’s sleep because the arthritis pain was gone…”

Rohrabacher openly discussed using medical marijuana while serving in Congress to treat arthritis pain, making him one of the first sitting members of Congress in modern times publicly known to admit in-office cannabis use. Unlike most politicians who admitted only to past recreational use, Rohrabacher’s medical cannabis use while actively serving demonstrated the plant’s therapeutic potential.

The Admission: Rohrabacher’s medical cannabis use while in office was unprecedented, showing that cannabis could serve legitimate therapeutic purposes for active politicians.

The Policy: Rohrabacher was one of the few Republicans consistently supporting cannabis legalization, sponsoring legislation to protect medical marijuana patients and providers.

Why It Matters: Ranked #2 on the MPP’s influential list, Rohrabacher showed that cannabis use could continue into political office for legitimate medical reasons, challenging the notion that politicians must be completely abstinent.

Political Party: Republican | Years in Office: 2011-present | Current Stance: Supports reducing penalties

“Let’s just say I wasn’t a choir boy when I was in college…”

Paul acknowledged past cannabis use through vague statements about not being “a choir boy,” with friends confirming his marijuana use during college. Paul’s college years included a bizarre incident reported by GQ where he and friends allegedly tied up a woman and made her pray to “Aqua Buddha” while high, though Paul has disputed details of this account.

The Admission: Paul’s vague “choir boy” reference represents the minimalist approach to cannabis admission without providing specific details.

The Policy: Paul has been a strong advocate for criminal justice reform and reducing drug penalties, though he stops short of supporting full legalization.

Why It Matters: As a libertarian-leaning Republican, Paul represents the growing faction within the GOP that views drug prohibition as government overreach, regardless of personal cannabis experience.

The journey from Al Gore’s tentative 1988 admission to Kamala Harris’s matter-of-fact acknowledgment reflects America’s dramatically changing relationship with cannabis. What was once a political death sentence is now a relatively routine biographical detail, though significant contradictions remain between personal experience and public policy.

This evolution mirrors the broader cultural shift that Herb documents daily through our editorial content and strain guides. Understanding different cannabis varieties and consumption methods is no longer just for enthusiasts – it’s becoming mainstream knowledge as legalization spreads.

For those exploring their own cannabis journey, Herb’s dispensary directory helps you find legitimate sources in your area, while our newsletters keep you updated on the latest developments in cannabis policy and culture. The political contradictions highlighted in this list underscore why education and responsible consumption remain essential – whether you’re a future president or just discovering cannabis for the first time.As you consider your own cannabis choices, remember that the plant’s effects can vary dramatically based on strain, method, and individual physiology. Herb’s comprehensive strain guides help you understand these differences and make informed decisions about your consumption.