DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: The Marijuana Polcy Project has released its second annual “Top 50 Most Influential Marijuana Users” list. There has been quite a bit of variation since last year, including several additions and a number of people dropping in rank or off the list entirely.
In order to have qualified for the list, each individual must (1) have tried marijuana at least once, (2) be alive, and (3) be living in the U.S. or be a U.S. citizen. To create the list, we adopted the criteria used by Out Magazine to select their “Power 50” list of LGBT Americans. That means our choices are based on “power to influence cultural and social attitudes, political clout, individual wealth, and a person’s media profile” – not just on popularity or support for marijuana policy reform. Fortunately, many of them have expressed support, but there are some “bad guys” on there, too.
In sum, we’re not concerned with an individual’s popularity, or even whether he or she supports marijuana policy reform. Rather, the 2013 “Top 50 Most Influential Marijuana Users” list is meant to identify people who have used marijuana and achieved high levels of success or influence.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

OPRAH WINFREY

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON

ASSOCIATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS

STEPHEN COLBERT

JON STEWART

JAY-Z

JOHN KERRY

GEORGE SOROS

BILL MAHER