Who doesn’t find the world of celebrities fascinating? It’s not just the glitz and glamor but their personal stories that truly captivate people. Hollywood often seems like a world of perfect smiles and private jets. But beneath the surface, many stars face challenges that hit close to home.
One topic that is gaining more attention is medicinal cannabis and how it’s helped some of the most recognizable faces manage pain, mental health, and chronic conditions.
Whether it’s award-winning actors or chart-topping musicians, a growing number of celebrities have opened up about turning to medical cannabis for its healing properties.
Here, we’ll walk you through some famous personalities who have broken the stigma and talked about using cannabis for medicinal purposes.
#1 Whoopi Goldberg Used Vape Pen for Glaucoma
Glaucoma-related severe headaches were no joke for comedienne Whoopi Goldberg. Popping Advil painkillers didn’t do much good. Thus, she turned to pot.
The actress and co-host of The View disclosed that she used a kush-filled vape pen to cope with the pain.
Goldberg shared her experience in The Cannabist, an online cannabis-oriented branch of Colorado’s The Denver Post. She wrote that the vape pen relieves glaucoma headaches without a cannabis high. She also stated that it eased the pain, pressure, and stress of glaucoma.
Goldberg says that vape pens allow you to control how much tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, you ingest. A short sip helps relieve her headache if it’s just starting. Two to three sips work well when the pressure inside her head is pounding.
Of course, she’s discreet about using it when she is in jurisdictions where medical cannabis is not legalized.
#2 Morgan Freeman Turned to Cannabis for Fibromyalgia Pain
Morgan Freeman is one of the most iconic voices in Hollywood. But do you know that behind the calm exterior is a man who battles chronic pain every day? In 2008, he was involved in a severe car accident, which left him with fibromyalgia.
To cope with the debilitating pain, Freeman turned to cannabis—he revealed this to the Daily Beast. He says, “However it comes! I’ll eat it, drink it, smoke it, snort it!”
A few years later, the Oscar-winning actor called for the legalization of cannabis across the board. As far as legalization is concerned, California, Oregon, Alaska, and Michigan are some states where cannabis use is approved.
For long, California has dominated the cannabis market. But since 2023, it has had some competition. That year, Michigan surpassed California as the largest cannabis market in the United States. It recorded three times more sales per person.
Apart from Ann Arbor, Bay City, and Battle Creek, cannabis dispensaries are also emerging in New Buffalo.
According to Vibe, patients now have easier access to medical cannabis, which may help relieve anxiety, chronic pain, and other ailments. It’s no wonder they are luring pot consumers of Illinois through freebies, relatively low prices, big product selections, and parking lots.
In a New Buffalo dispensary, there is no cannabis per day purchase limit for enthusiasts. Medical patients, however, can purchase only 2.5 ounces per day in total.
#3 Melissa Etheridge Used Cannabis During Her Cancer Treatment
It’s been 15 years since Melissa Etheridge has been breast cancer-free—and she credits her present good health, in part, to cannabis.
Etheridge tells TIDAL, “I’ve worked for over 10 years to be an advocate for plant medicine, specifically cannabis. I think cannabis is opening the doors to what is a new paradigm in how we think about health and medicine.”
Post breast cancer diagnosis in 2004, when Etheridge underwent a lumpectomy plus five rounds of chemo and radiation, her friend, David Crosby, recommended her cannabis.
The two-time Grammy Award winner also released a record, The Medicine Show, that tips a hearty wink to cannabis. Etheridge’s tongue-in-cheek songs like “Faded By Design” from her fourteenth album pay homage to her ten years of support for cannabis legalization.
#4 Tommy Chong Used CBD Oil to Treat His Prostate Cancer
Part of the comedy duo Cheech and Chong, the comedian Tommy Chong was battling prostate cancer in 2015.
According to CNN, he said that he was treating stage one prostate cancer with hemp oil. The suppositories that Chong got provided him with a manageable high.
He explains that the pot affects the mental state. That is, it takes the brain off. You don’t groan or moan but start reading books or listening to music.
Chong also made clear that he doesn’t smoke cannabis anymore but ingests hemp oil every night. He’s since become an advocate for cannabis in cancer care. He speaks at events and shares his experience with others.
These celebrities’ stories share a common thread. That is, cannabis isn’t just about getting high, but it’s about relief, healing, and finding a way to live life fully despite the challenges.
Whether it’s chronic pain or serious illnesses, these stars remind us that sometimes the best remedies are the ones rooted in nature. Their openness has helped destigmatize medicinal cannabis, as they encourage others to explore it as a legitimate option.
