🎥 Hey Ma, I'm famous

Celebrity cannabis brands can seem opportunistic on the surface - like a PR team pitched the idea to a bored famous person and they said “meh, okay.” Maybe that’s me. Maybe I’m cynical.

But! I also think some well-publicized celebrity brands are here for the right reasons, with real, credible principals that have spent a lot of time singing the gospel of the plant and leveraging their platforms to launch solid products. Let’s look at a few:

Houseplant

Who is involved and why do I like it

Seth Rogen is probably one of the most effective normalizers of cannabis in the last few decades.

I’ve listened to a bunch of his interviews, and the best ones are with Howard Stern. He talks about how we, as a society, normalize products that help our bodies cope with modern life. We wear shoes because our feet are soft. We use glasses because our eyes are bad. But when it comes to our brains, we don’t like talking about the things that help us cope.

He is unashamed of his cannabis use, because it suits his brain and allows him to function as a happy, productive member of society. It works with his physiology - why make excuses or hide that? I love the sentiment.

I’ve also had the opportunity to speak with members of Houseplant’s commercial team - bright people that care about cannabis and REALLY care about curating a product that they would want to buy.

What people say

😂

Khalifa Kush

Who is involved and why do I like it

Wiz has been rapping about weed for over ten years. The tagline for the company: Smoke better weed.

The flagship product - Khalifa Kush - was bred from a phenotype of OG Kush, which is sticky and skunky and potent and reminds me of college. Wiz kept the strain for his private stash for years before bringing it to market; this is a great example of a passion project turned commercial opportunity, rather than trying to force it.

What people say

Cann

Who is involved and why do I like it

Cann is my favorite cannabis beverage. I like the onset time, I like the flavors, I like the lack of hangover, I like the branding. When we figure out price point to align to a similar dose of alcohol, it’ll be a true substitute and there’s no stopping the brand.

I know a lot of friends that are “Cali sober” - meaning that they don’t consume alcohol at all, but they lean into cannabis. They are very happy people. And they represent a growing segment of the population, sometimes called “sober-curious.” Cann hits them right in the value proposition funny bone - low-dose, drinkable products that don’t get you drunk.

Lots of celebrities have jumped on board with Luke Anderson and Jake Bullock, the founders that brewed the first Cann themselves without much training in mixology or food science (we love the scrappiness). Gwyneth Paltrow is an investor and advocate, Rosario Dawson sits on the board, Rebel Wilson is involved financially, as is Ruby Rose.

What people say

Al Harrington - Viola

Who is involved and why do I like it

Al Harrington is my favorite cannabis celebrity, because he joined the fray before the industry was widely accepted as a legitimate pursuit. He founded Viola after seeing his eponymous grandmother find relief from glaucoma - the popular company now offers flower, concentrates, and pre-rolls in five states (CA, CO, OR, MI, OK).

Harrington also founded Viola Cares, a social equity initiative aimed at empowering communities most effected by the War on Drugs. Good guy.

What people say

📚 tl;dr

• A gaggle of celebrities have slapped their names on cannabis products; some are meaningful attempts to further the industry

• Houseplant, Khalifa Kush, Cann, and Viola all have celebrities involved, but they seem to be around for the right reasons

• Apparently if you smoke Pancake Ice by Houseplant, you become a scientist

• It is Friday