Composite image by Philippe Marquis, featuring public domain portraits of Queen Victoria, Carl Sagan, and Maya Angelou, with background by solovei23
Cannabis Isn’t Just for ‘Stoners’—And It Never Was
Picture the stereotypical cannabis user: unmotivated, couch-locked, going nowhere fast. It’s a tired trope, born of decades of anti-weed propaganda. But what if this image isn’t just inaccurate, but the complete opposite of the truth? What if some of history’s most brilliant minds and cultural figures not only used cannabis, but leaned on it as a tool for creativity, healing, and peak performance?
This isn’t just another round-up of the usual toking suspects like Snoop and Willie (though mad respect). We’re going to unpack the surprising cannabis habits of a monarch, a war hero, a scientist who reconstructed the very concept of the cosmos, a poet who gave voice to a movement, and more. Buckle up and toke—er, take notes. Prepare to see that ubiquitous green herb, and the potential within us all, in a whole new light.
The Royal Rx: Queen Victoria and Cannabis as Medicine
Queen Victoria, the stern-faced monarch who ruled a globe-spanning empire, was prescribed cannabis by her personal physician. In the late 19th century, before the tides of Reefer Madness propaganda began to turn, cannabis was a respected fixture in European and American medicine cabinets.
Victoria’s doctor, Sir J.R. Reynolds, reportedly prescribed tinctures of the herb to soothe her majesty’s menstrual cramps. Just sit with that for a moment. One of the most powerful rulers in history, a woman synonymous with prudishness and rigidity, openly used cannabis for pain relief. It puts the whole “marijuana as the devil’s lettuce” narrative into perspective, doesn’t it?
Cannabis wasn’t born bad and scary—it was consciously vilified through decades of calculated smear campaigns and shifting legislation. Victoria was just one prominent example of the plant’s longstanding therapeutic applications.
The Cosmic Mind: Carl Sagan’s Secret Cannabis Writings
Next, let’s voyage to a more recent era and a different kind of luminary: Carl Sagan, the astronomer, astrophysicist, and turtleneck aficionado who became a household name through his Cosmos series. If anyone symbolizes the archetype of the pure, rational thinker, it’s Sagan. But Mr. Logic harbored a fascinating secret side.
Under the pseudonym “Mr. X,” Sagan penned an essay detailing his cannabis use and its impact on his scientific work and philosophical musings.
“The cannabis experience has greatly improved my appreciation for art, a subject which I had never much appreciated before,” he wrote.
He went further, challenging the very foundation of prohibition. “The illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.”
One of the most influential scientific communicators of the 20th century, a man who fundamentally reshaped our understanding of our place in the universe, not only used cannabis regularly. But he credited it with expanding his capacity for creative and analytical thinking. Meanwhile, the powers-that-be were busy painting the plant as a scourge that sapped motivation and fried brain cells. The irony is (inter)stellar.
Rihanna and The Mainstreaming of Mary Jane
Let’s hop to a more recent icon of cannabis cool: Rihanna. The Barbadian singer, fashion mogul, and all-around badass has never made a secret of her love for the green. From casual Instagram posts featuring blunts to openly lighting up on stage, Rihanna has consistently normalized cannabis consumption, especially for millennial and Gen Z fans. And Rihanna isn’t alone in bringing cannabis into the mainstream. Many other celebrities—some surprising—have played a role in reshaping public perception.
The cultural landscape has radically shifted in just a few decades. In the 1990s, a major pop star openly embracing weed would have been scandalous tabloid fodder, a career-endangering move. Now, thanks in large part to unapologetic advocates like Rihanna, a newer generation sees responsible cannabis use as perfectly natural, akin to sipping a glass of wine or puffing a cigarette. The stigma that once shrouded the plant is dissipating in a haze of fragrant smoke.
Poets, Pain, and Plant Medicine: Maya Angelou’s Cannabis Journey
Maya Angelou, the celebrated poet, memoirist, and voice of a generation, openly reflected on her cannabis use in her autobiography Gather Together in My Name. For her, cannabis was not about escapism—it was about immersion. She described how it softened her edges and brought a sense of joy and wonder to everyday life:
“From a natural stiffness I melted into a grinning tolerance. Walking on the streets became high adventure, eating my mother’s huge dinners an opulent entertainment, and playing with my son was side-cracking hilarity. For the first time, life amused me.”
Angelou didn’t frame the experience in explicitly creative or political terms. But her words paint a clear picture of cannabis as a tool for presence and pleasure. Her story adds depth to the cultural narrative around the plant—not as a shortcut to brilliance, but as a companion in reclaiming delight, ease, and a renewed sense of connection.
Angelou was far from alone. She joins a proud lineage of poets and novelists—from Allen Ginsberg to Hunter S. Thompson—who have turned to cannabis as a muse and a lens through which to see the world anew. If an artist as fiercely intelligent and socially engaged as Angelou saw value in the herb, it might be time to reassess those lazy stoner stereotypes.
The SEAL Who Became a Cannabis Champion: Rob O’Neill
Let’s pivot from literary legends to modern warfare. The image of an American soldier toking up might seem incongruous. But that’s exactly what Rob O’Neill, former Navy SEAL and current cannabis entrepreneur, is working to change.
O’Neill is best known as a member of SEAL Team Six. This elite unit is responsible for taking out Osama bin Laden. Lately, though, he’s focused on a new mission: advocating for cannabis access for veterans through his company, Operator Canna Co. O’Neill and many of his fellow vets have found the herb to be a lifeline in managing PTSD, chronic pain, and anxiety—a safer alternative to the addictive opioids and mood-altering drugs often over-prescribed to service members.
If the lazy stoner myth can’t stand up to an artist like Maya Angelou, it crumbles completely in the face of O’Neill. This is a man who embodies discipline, drive, and precision under pressure. And he’s putting his reputation on the line to vouch for cannabis as a veteran wellness tool. If it’s good enough for our nation’s most highly trained warriors, maybe it’s time to question why we’ve been culturally programmed to fear it.
Shattering the Stoner Stereotype: A Call to Rethink Cannabis
From Queen Victoria’s cramp-soothing tinctures to Carl Sagan’s cosmic bong rips, and Rihanna’s unapologetic smoke sessions to Maya Angelou’s jazz-and-joint reveries, the people and stories in this piece offer a collective challenge to our most stubborn cannabis myths and memes.
The real story of this ancient plant isn’t about zoning out or dropping out. It’s a story of human ambition and creativity. Of warriors seeking inner peace and elders seeking relief. Of young visionaries and established geniuses leveraging a natural tool to reach new heights.
So the next time cannabis is portrayed as the sole domain of bleary-eyed slackers and checked-out hippies, remember the queen. The astronomer. The Navy SEAL. The poet laureate. Remember that this humble herb has fueled achievement and eased suffering for brilliant, ambitious, courageous humans of every stripe.
And for those who still need convincing, don’t take this author’s word for it. Do as Carl Sagan would: Apply critical thinking, question assumptions, and let the mind roam free (perhaps aided by a puff or two).
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