The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference (CCC) is coming to the great city of Chicago on September 13-14, 2022 and we're thrilled to invite several Disney (NYSE:DIS) celebs to tell us their cannabis stories.
As marijuana legalization moves through the halls of Congress, who wouldn't love to hear about how our childhood movie stars and entertainers dealt with cannabis and what it did for their careers and/or personal lives and struggles?
Miley Cyrus
Destiny Hope Cyrus who legally changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus in 2008, was the face of Disney Channel's “Hannah Montana” from 2006 to 2011. And fun fact: Dolly Parton is Miley Cyrus's godmother.
Since recreational marijuana became legal in California, Miley Cyrus has opened up about cannabis and the negative stigma that surrounds it.“I don’t smoke weed when I work, only in my downtime!" Cyrus told to The Sun in 2018. "When I’m just working I don’t think I function at my highest, most intelligent, most being-able-to-be-as-aware-and-as-present."
Bella Thorne
Actress, singer, writer, author, and entrepreneur Bella Thorne is another celebrity promoting the cannabis industry. The young philanthropist became an ambassador of DRIHP, eco-friendly hemp apparel and accessories brand, alongside models Rachel Cook and Jay Alvarrez. DRIHP hemp clothing line, launched by Clone Connect's founder Luke Dandrea, uses 1/20 of the amount of water used to grow and process traditional cotton fabrics.
Thorne, the "Life of a Wannabe Mogul" author and co-founder of Forbidden Flowers cannabis and CBD brand, has millions of fans on both Instagram and Twitter. Her influence on social media raises awareness of hemp as an alternative to other, less sustainable textiles. Thorne highlighted that hemp is vital for saving the planet. "If you can change one person's mind, you can help change the world," she said. Forbes listed Thorne as a pioneer in Hollywood and Entertainment in their 30 Under 30 Class of 2022.
Demi Lovato
Actress and singer, Demetria Devonne Lovato, AKA Demi Lovato, born in New Mexico, came out as non-binary in 2021. They began their showbiz career at the age of ten on Barney & Friends. After that, Lovato guest-starred in TV dramas Just Jordan and Prison Break. In 2007, Lovato moved to the Disney Channel where they had the lead in Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. In September 2008, Lovato released their first album "Don't Forget," which debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200.
Lovato after an apparent overdose joined a treatment program called "California Sober" where they drank alcohol and smoked marijuana and expressed through their networks that it no longer worked for them. "I no longer support my 'California Sober' ways," Lovato wrote last December.
“Sober, sober is the only way to be. The best way to do that, and the easiest way to make something more authentic, is to make it clean and understated. I made this album clean and sober," Lovato told Jimmy Fallon when they performed their latest album on "The Tonight Show" in June.
Joe Jonas
Joe Jonas, born in Arizona, is a singer, musician, actor and dancer. He is a member of the pop rock band Jonas Brothers with his brothers Kevin and Nick Jonas and is the lead singer of the band DNCE. As an actor, Jonas played Shane Gray in Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam and Joseph Lucas in the Disney Channel series JONAS. In 2011 he released his first and only solo album, "Fastlife."
In 2013, Joe revealed in an interview that he smoked weed for the first time with Miley Cyrus and ex-girlfriend Demi Lovato when they were teenagers: "I must have been 17 or 18. I tried it and it was fine," Jonas said. "I don't even smoke marijuana that often anymore."
Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake, from child star in The Mickey Mouse Club to a controversial singer, who ended his relationship, with great fanfare, with Britney Spears who she scandalized the world with her performance in the thirty-eighth edition of the Super Bowl, along with Janet Jackson. Timberlake then fell in love with Cameron Diaz. But, since 2012, the Disney heart throb has been married to Jessica Biel.
Years ago, Justin Timberlake admitted that he smoked cannabis to get out of his own head. "The only thing pot does for me is it gets me to stop thinking," Timberlake told Playboy (NASDAQ:PLBY) at that time. "Sometimes I have a brain that needs to be turned off. Some people are just better high."
Vanessa Hudgens
Vanessa Hudgens, another of Disney's most recognizable faces, made her breakthrough with the "High School Musical" series. Recently, she carved out a niche for herself with The "Princess Switch," a Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) Christmas movie.
In 2014, Hudgens made headlines when she decided to go for a run in a marijuana-themed T-shirt. The controversy was sparked when, on closer inspection, the shirt read "wet" and bore a striking resemblance to the Disney logo. “The story of cannabis is such a fascinating story to me,” Hudgens told the Hollywood Reporter. “It’s mind-blowing to me how many people are incarcerated because of non-violent possession.”
In 2019, Hudgens participated in the opening of the Weedmaps Museum Of Weed in Los Angeles. “It’s really important to educate yourself as well, and I think that this museum will kind of debunk this mysticism that’s been around it,” Hudgens said at that time.
Influence Is Important
Although some of these celebs said they no longer consume cannabis, their opinions can influence millions of people and in turn, lawmakers. Their influence in pop culture contributes to the advance of legalization. Meet us at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference where cannabis advocates, entrepreneurs, and hopefully former Disney celebrities will gather at the historic Palmer House Hotel on Sep. 13-14 in Chicago, to discuss the future of legalization.
Get your tickets HERE.
