Wall of Fame

Abrams, Dr. Donald / AIDS and medical marijuana physician, got approval and executed the first modern clinical study showing that cannabis is a safe and effective medication.

Ager, Alan / AIDS patient, First Prop 215 caregiver defendant

Aldrich, Michael and Michelle / Michael co-founded Amorphia and produced the first hemp rolling papers, Michelle joined him working on Prop 19 in 1972 and they married. Both worked on Prop 215 and Michael was director of the SF CHAMP dispensary that fought 280E IRS tax requirements. Co-founders of CCHS.

Baldwin, Michael / Cannabis patient charged with cultivation, Researcher who challenged police ‘experts’

Blackberry, Bonnie / Co-founder of Civil Liberties Monitoring Project, which tracked law enforcement raids in Northern California in the 1980s-90s.

Bearman, David / Cannabis physician, expert witness and author, CCHS Advisory Board.

Blake, Tim / Area 101 cannabis dispensary, Emerald Cup founder

Boyce, Anna / Nurse, Proponent of Prop 215

Britt, Bill / Founder/director of Association of Patients Advocates, cannabis expert witness, Oaksterdam U faculty

Bronner, David / Funder, President of Dr Bronners Soap company, did civil disobedience in DC by planting hemp and in Sacramento for protesting for medical marijuana patients

Brownell, Gordon / Proponent of the original Prop 19 in 1972

Byars, Karen / Patient, early advocate for CBD, events promoter

Clarke, Rob / Botanist, breeder, author

Corral, Valerie & Mike / WAMM collective founders and growers in Santa Cruz, involved in SB 420 legislation.

Conrad, Chris / Environmental, social justice activist who launched the three-prong hemp-medical marijuana-regulated adult use BACH campaign in 1989, co-founded FCDA, Hemp Industries Assn., Human Rights and the Drug War, etc., worked with his wife, Mikki Norris, on Props 215, 19, and 64, SAN guidelines and SB420. Oaksterdam U professor, Oaksterdam Cannabis museum curator, cannabis expert witness, author of numerous books, co-founder and board member of CCHS.

Davis, Richard / Founder of US Hemp Museum, a grower near Willits drove his mobile hemp museum across the state, sold cannabis legally with tax stamps in AZ before the law was revoked, toured the US with his mobile museum and set up an exhibition in LA, then an online museum, author of several books on hemp.

DeAngelo, Steve & Andrew / Ecolution hemp company in 1990s, Hemp Industry Association co-fouders, Harborside Health Center patient collective in the 2000s,

Duncan, Don / Worked with Cannabis Action Network (CAN), Berkeley Cannabis Consumers Union, BPG Dispensary, Americans for Safe Access (ASA)

Eggemeier, Lowell / Civil disobedience arrest in 1964 was critical in launching cannabis reform in California

Entwhistle, John / San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club, co-author of Proposition 215, right hand man and husband of Dennis Peron

Epis, Bryan / Cannabis caregiver and dispensary operator, federal medical marijuana POW

Erstadt, Genie / Audiographer of She Who Remembers, recorded radio programs and cannabis reform events in the 1990s and sold copies at rallies

Fischer, Amy / Curator of Traveling Hemp Museum

Fontan, Etienne / Veteran activist, director of BPG, spokesperson for vets use for PTSD, Hash Church podcast  

Ford, David / Author of Marijuana, Not Guilty as Charged and Marijuana: Good Medicine, Great Sex.

Frank, Mel / Breeder, grow book author, collaborator with Ed Rosenthal

Gardner, Fred / Publisher of O’Shaugnessey’s newspaper, founder of Project CBD.

Geiringer, Dale / Director of California NORML since 1988, he has represented cannabis consumers at the state capitol, fighting off drug testing laws, supporting SB 420 and advocating for assorted reforms. Co-author of Prop 215, organizer of many statewide events. Hosts the annual Cannabis Lobby Day in Sacramento. Board member of CCHS.

Genoy, Mary / Patient featured in media reports, hemp advocate, active at SFCBC

Gilbert, Barton / Proponent of California Marijuana Initiatives in 1980 and 1989 that didn’t make the ballot

Ginsberg, Allen / Beat Poet, based in NY and San Francisco, wrote “Howl”  which references cannabis use

Goldsberry, Debby / Activist, Cofounder of Cannabis Action Network (CAN), Berkeley Patients Group (BPG), the Hemporium store in SF, Americans for Safe Access (ASA), and others.

Gosney, Michael / Advocate of cannabis and psychedelics, publisher, promoter of Deep Green eannabis / ecology events

Greer, Mark / Founder of DrugSense and the Drug War Chronicle

Allman, Sheriff Tom / Mendo sheriff who stood up for medical marijuana and reduced marijuana arrests in the county

Ammiano, Assy. Tom / Comedian who was elected San Francisco Supervisor and State Assembly member. Champion of gay rights and cannabis reform.

Brown, Gov. Jerry / No champion of legalization, Brown signed the Moscone Act decriminalizing cannabis (1975) but went on to crack down on medical marijuana as state Attorney General and, in his return as governor signed MMRSA (2015) that taxed medical marijuana and ended cannabis collectives, then rewrote swathes of Prop 64 into SB 94 (2017), which opened the gates to large operations instead of protecting small producers for the first five years, as voters had approved.

Eyster, DA David / Defense attorney later elected Mendocino DA. Brought down cannabis arrests and prosecutions, offered reasonable plea bargains but also known for his vendettas against anyone who decided to fight in court.

Gallegos, DA Paul / Humboldt defense attorney elected DA who supported allowing 3 pounds and 100 square feet per qualified patient, aka the Safe Access Now (SAN) guidelines.

Hallinan, Terrence / Boxer turned defense attorney turned DA, he was the only DA in the state to support Prop 215, signed the ballot argument and reduced marijuana arrests in San Francisco, despite police opposition.

Hamburg, Dan / Mendocino environmentalist and civil rights attorney, elected to US Congress, introduced numerous bills to legalize cannabis amid the Drug War.

Harris, VP Kamala / Elected SF DA after Hallinan, formed cannabis advisory board, resisted a wave of police charges against patients, reduced arrests before leaving office. Enforced state laws against collectives as CA Attorney General; a Democrat, she was the first Black / Asian American woman VP and candidate for US President and first to include marijuana legalization in her campaign platform.

Lee, Rep. Barbara / Oakland’s Congressional Rep, she was a champion of medical marijuana and endorsed state legalization efforts.

Leno, Sen. Mark / SF Supervisor, co-sponsored SB 420 collective bill in state Assembly (2003) and introduced hemp and other cannabis reforms as state Senator.

Mello, Sen. John / Introduced medical marijuana bills and resolutions in early 1990s before Prop 215 legalized medical use statewide.

Moscone, Sen. George / Introduced the Moscone Decriminalization Act (1975), was elected Mayor of San Francisco and famously assassinated along with Harvey Milk.

Mullins, DA Michael / Sonoma County DA who fought hard against Prop 215 and prosecuted numerous cases before joining forces with SAMM patients to adopt SAN guidelines allowing 3 pounds / 100 square feet garden per patient.

Newsom, Gov Gavin / As SF mayor, first government official to allow gay marriage, he was a critic of the drug war, supported medical use and endorsed and campaigned for Prop 64 cannabis legalization (2016).

Rohrbacher, Rep. Dana / Republican Congressional Rep from Orange County, he sponsored the first federal medical use exemption for patients qualified under state law, passed and signed by Obama in 2014.

Vasconcellos, Sen. John / Legalization advocate who was the driving force behind SB 420 (2003) that allowed patient collectives and set a state prosecution guideline of up to 8 ounces of bud and 6 mature / 12 immature plants per patient that became the standard allowance at dispensaries.

Zimmerman, Bill / Campaign director for Prop 215 (1996) the first successful medical marijuana legalization effort in the USA.

Berg, Eric / Cannabis attorney primarily active in Chico, Shasta County and the Central Valley

Denson, Ed / Environmentalist who worked with Civil Liberties Monitoring Project, passed the bar in his 60s and championed medical marijuana in the North Coast

Figueroa, Omar / Northern CA attorney, worked with Pier 5 Law and defended Ed Rosenthal in federal court.

Gilg, Zenia; Schulz, Danny; Meier, Lisa / Statewide trifecta defense team originally from Pier 5, later Jackson Square Law who took on cannabis and forfeiture cases statewide.

Goggin, Patrick / Worked on medical marijuana and hemp cases, most famously the successful HIA v DEA case that solidified legality of hempseed in foods

Gray, James / LEAP,  former Sup Court judge Orange County

Jackson Square Law / Gilg, Schultz, Bustamante, Meier

Levinsohn, Michael / Statewide

Logan, Bill / Eastern, mountains

Margolin, Bruce / LA NORML

McPike, Bill / Eastern, mountains

Michael, David / Federal courts

Nick, David / Statewide

Panzer, Bill / Statewide, CLE instructor

Pier 5 Law, Serra, Tony / Figueroa, Gretch, et al; incubator for cannabis attorneys

Public Defenders of CA / Statewide

Rice, Ben / Santa Cruz

Shevin, Eric / LA dispensaries

Spiegelman, Steve / Marin  

Stepanian, Michael / Sonoma

Tulanian, Steve / Lake

The Hemp Connection

Marie Mills b. 1940. Teresa Mills b. 1964. The Hemp Connection birthday January 1990 to 5/30/2022. Photo: Lisa Music

The year Marie started THC, she was very involved with her local Civil Liberties Monitoring Project, working with the Humboldt County Community Observation Group. CLMP checked with law enforcement officers who came into communities to make marijuana raids, to make certain they were wearing their identification badges. When Operation Green Sweep invaded our community (1990) using army troops and law enforcement personnel, with no identifying badges, she approached them about their lack of ID badges and was told to call Sacramento. So, the next day they appeared wearing badges. Marie founded The Hemp Connection, perhaps the first hemp store in America, and was active there for the 32 years that it existed. At some point Teresa became a partner finally the lead partner. They sponsored and promoted many community events in the Garberville area of Humboldt County, just off Highway 101.

Veterans Action Council

Etienne Fontan, b. 1969, a U.S. Army combat veteran and longtime patient advocate, serves as vice president and co-owner of Berkeley Patients Group (BPG), one of the oldest continuously-operating cannabis dispensaries in the nation. His advocacy began at a grassroots level, traveling with Cannabis Action Network for rallies, teach-ins and public education. His own experiences with the traumas of war deeply informed his commitment to medical cannabis, particularly for fellow veterans. He has worked in nearly every corner of the cannabis space, from early hemp importation and distribution with Ecolution to building and operating licensed dispensaries and cultivation facilities. He is a founding board member of the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA). His early work in contaminant testing laid a foundation for industry best practices. He’s worked with the Cannabis Embassy and Veterans Action Council and participated in international cannabis policy discussions at the UN offices in Vienna. Today, Etienne continues to contribute to the movement, including being an Ambassador for the California State Fair Cannabis Awards. He also sits on the Board of Advisors for the Battle Brothers Foundation and received the Dennis Peron Service Award from AMVETS.

Herer, Jack (1939-2010) / author of The Emperor Wears No Clothes, co-author and chief proponent of the California Hemp Initiative, which never made the ballot

Hergenrather, Dr. Jeff / Cannabis physician, MD, Supporter of Prop 215 and SAMM, cannabis expert witness, co-founder of Society of Cannabis Clinicians (SCC).  

Imler, Scott / Gay Rights and AIDS activist, co-author of Prop 215, founder of West Hollywood CBC, raided by federal agents but not prosecuted

Jacobs, Monty (husband of Mary Pat Beck) / Patient, advocate, co-founder of Sonoma Alliance for Medical Marijuana (SAMM), helped convince Sonoma County DA to adopt SAN guidelines of 3 pounds and 100 square feet of canopy per qualified patient.

Jones, Dale & Jeff / Jeff founded the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Club (OCBC) on Independence Day, a year before Prop 215 passed, proponent of Oaksterdam, Measure Z, etc., with Richard Lee, and married Dale Skye during Prop 19 campaign, Dale took over OU when Lee was raided in 2012  

Kane, Mari / Founder, editor and publisher of HempWorld magazine, the first trade publication for industrial hemp

Kaplan, John / 1929-1989, Academic who reviewed CA marijuana laws in 1966, wrote Marhhuana: The New Prohibition (1969)

Kerry, Theodora / Holy Hemp Sisters and Cannabis Conversations in Santa Cruz, coined the term ‘hempster’

Kesey, Ken / Author, sponsored SF ‘acid tests’ while LSD was still legal, arrested for cannabis in 1965 in La Honda

Kiczenski, Ron / Cannabis hemp advocate, sent books and a cannabis pack including marijuana to President Clinton, 3-Hawks group won acquittal for planting industrial hemp in 1995

Kizner, Dave / The Hempman, sold hemp retail at rallies, introducing many to hemp products and helping get hemp businesses established.

Komp, Ellen / Hempster, worked on CHI, Prop 215, The Emperor Wears No Clothes, and CANORML, Created Very Important Potheads website, authored Tokin’ Women.

Kubby, Steve / Author of Politics of Consciousness, supported Prop 215, prosecuted for growing medical marijuana and ran for office under the Libertarian party mantl

Landa, Steph & Kikuchi, Tom / Caregivers, Federal POWs after their SF dispensary, the Brannan St Co-op, was raided, founders of the Overgrow support network for drug war POWs

Landers, Ryan / AIDS and MMJ activist from Sacramento, defendant support, sat on City’s cannabis advisory group

Laughter, Wade / Nevada Co grower, popularized high-CBD harlequin variety, Caladrius Network

Lee, Martin / Project CBD, author

Lee, Richard (1962 – 2025) / Mayor of Oaksterdam, founder of OU, O’dam News, O’dam Cannabis Museum, Proponent of Measure Z and Prop 19, collaborator with Jeff and Dale Jones

Lepp, Eddie / Caregiver, busted in Lake County and acquitted, founder of Eddie’s Medical Marijuana Garden, raided by feds and became cannabis POW.  

Levine, Steve / Founder of Santa Barbara Hemp Co., long-time President of the HIA, worked with David Bronner

Lucido, Dr. Frank / Supporter of Prop 215, medical cannabis physician and expert witness, co-founder of Society of Cannabis Clinicians

Markgraaf, Dion / San Diego activist, worked in Amsterdam and internationally, founded SD CBC, hempcrete advocate, event organizer

McCormick, Todd / “Pot Prince of Bel Air,” arrested in Ohio and in LA by Feds, devised multi-media version of The Emperor Wears No Clothes, sponsored THC Expo, grower, raided again during 2012 Oaksterdam raid.

McWilliams, Peter / Self-help author, AIDS patient, Libertarian candidate, worked with WH CBC, arrested by Feds, denied access to medical marijuana to control vomiting and died as a direct result of the court order.

Mikuriya, Dr. Tod (1933-2007) / Author of Marijuana Medical Papers, co-author of Prop 215, physician named by Drug Czar in anti-medical marijuana press conference, beat charges put forth by the CA Medical Board.

Miller, Carol / activist, worked with CLMP, co-author of The Hemp Seed Cookbook

Mills, Marie & Theresa / Mother and daughter team. Founders and operators of The Hemp Connection in Garberville, the first hemp store in California.

Musikka, Elvy / Federal Investigational New Drug (IND) cannabis patient, went on speaking tours, hemp rallies and media. “If I have access to medical marijuana, so should every other patient who needs it.” Musician, The War on Us.

Norris, Mikki / Part of the “Power Couple of Pot” with husband, Chris Conrad, she is co-founder of Family Council on Drug Awareness and Human Rights and the Drug War, founder of Cannabis Consumers Campaign and author of Shattered Lives: Portraits From America’s Drug War. She advocated for Prop 215, SB 420, Measure Z, Prop 19 and Prop 64, among others, and is a board member of the CCHS.

Armstrong, Louis / Jazz musician, arrested 1930, at the Cotton Club in Culver City, CA, for muggles. He wrote and performed many cannabis songs before being targeted by the FBN.

Buffalo Springfield / Eric Clapton was jamming with band members in 1968 when he, Neil Young, Jim Messina and Richie Furay were arrested for marijuana. Steven Stills escaped out a window and band manager Chris Sarns took the rap.

Chong, Tommy and Marin, Cheech / Cheech & Chong duo made numerous movies and comedy albums about cannabis, gave an image of cannabis users as being dirty, obnoxious and not very bright, but also likable and not dangerous.

Grateful Dead / San Francisco psychedelic jam band whose tours spread cannabis culture for decades and their Deadhead fans helped popularize 420 as a code for marijuana use.

Harrelson, Woody / Movie star, hemp advocate, did civil disobedience in Kentucky to bring attention to the value of industrial hemp.

Jefferson Airplane / Psychedelic San Francisco band most famous for “White Rabbit,” they released “Volunteers,” the first album to feature a marijuana leaf on its cover.

Maher, Bill / Comedian who talked about cannabis regularly and normalized it by not being too weird about it, donated to Prop 19 (2010) and asked viewers to support it the day before it lost at the polls.

Mitchum, Robert / Movie star, arrested for marijuana in a spectacular 1949Hollywood bust but his career survived.

Bush, President George, Sr. / Implemented Drug War policies first introduced by Reagan. Launched Operation Green Merchant (1988), sent National Guard to eradicate marijuana gardens in Green Sweep (1989), comparable operations in Hawaii, Kentucky and other states.

California Correctional Peace Officers Assn. / Lobbyists against medical marijuana and legalization who profited from imprisoning cannabis community.

California Narcotic Officers' Assn. / CNOA. Lobbyists against medical marijuana and legalization who profited from imprisoning cannabis community. Set up police trainings falsely claiming every pot plant yields a pound of bud, no such thing as medical use, etc.

Gates, Chief Darryl / LAPD Police Chief who instigated the DARE program, which led to an increase in adolescent drug use, testified before Congress that marijuana smokers “should be taken out and shot.”

Haag, Melinda / Federal prosecutor for Northern California, one of many who countered President Obama’s plan to tolerate state-legal medical use with a massive national crackdown wit raids on state-legal marijuana and leading to the Cole Memorandum being issued.

Mollica, Mick / CNOA chief trainer, prosecution expert against medical marijuana patients, testified that every plant yields a pound but he’d personally seen small plants yield less than an ounce of bud.

Nixon, US President Richard / Drug War President set up Blue Ribbon “Shafer Commission” that called for decriminalizing up to an ounce of cannabis (1972), but instead declared marijuana “Public Enemy #1”

Reagan, US President Ronald / Drug War President responsible for property forfeiture, mandatory minimum sentences, conspiracy law, snitch culture, pre-employment drug testing and depriving cannabis consumers of housing, education and other social benefits, and “Just Say No” approach to drug education through DARE. Meanwhile, Oliver North made cocaine distribution plans out of the White House basement.

Ommaha, Michael d.2021 / Sponsored first 1970s growers’ cups, founded The Farmacy dispensary

Osburn, Lynn & Judy / Husband and wife team, successfully fought forfeiture of their farm, authored The Spectre of Forfeiture, worked on The Emperor Wears No Clothes, grew for WH CBC and were caught up in the federal raid there.

Paoli, Leo / Worked on the first Prop 19 campaign in 1972

Parker, Cat / Worked on Prop 19 campaign in 2010, Prop 64 in 2016 and for Drug Policy Alliance (DPA),  

Parker, Sean / Tech billionaire who financed the successful Prop 64 legalization initiative in 2016.

Penn, Candee / Long-time secretary of the HIA, largely credited for keeping the trade association together for its first decade of existence.

Peron, Dennis (1945-2018) / Prop P, San Francisco CBC, co-author and proponent of Prop 215, co-author of The Brownie Mary Cookbook.

Pofahl, Amy / Drug War POW granted clemency by President Clinton in 2000, director of CAN-DO Foundation - Justice Through Clemency, Producer/director of “420 - The Documentary”

Raich, Angel & Rob / Argued that marijuana grown in California and given to a qualified patient for free did not fit under the Interstate Commerce Clause that is the basis for federal prohibition. Won at the appellate level but the US Supreme Court disagreed and held in Gonzalez v Raich that the CSA to be Constitutional in 2003.

Rathbun, Brownie Mary (1922-1999) / Nurse, AIDS patient advocate and provider of medical marijuana in the form of brownies. Arrested for distribution but not charged.

Reiman, Amanda / PhD researcher, worked for DPA, founding member of CCHS    

Resner, Virginia / California Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), co-founder of Human Rights and the Drug War, director of Green Aid

Rogers, Hazel / Nurse, advocate for medical use of cannabis

Romo, Asencion / First known California cannabis arrest in the notorious Sonoratown marihuana bust in Los Angeles, 1914

Rosenbaum, Marsha / Director of the California DPA, Helped arrange financing for Prop 215, author of Safety First and the Safety First drug education program for schools

Rosenthal, Ed / Grower, advocate, author of the influential “Ask Ed” cultivation series and author of numerous grow books. He founded Green Aid to provide relief to cannabis POWs and advocated for Prop 215 and Prop 19 (2010).

Sajo, John / Oregon activist who moved to California in 1996 to campaign and vote for Prop 215, bringing a team of petitioners with him to help put it on the ballot.

Schmidt, Robert / The Cannabis Cowboy, founded the Genesis dispensary in Sonoma County.

Scarmazzo, Luke / Caregiver, federal POW for operating a cannabis dispensary in Fresno.

Scott, Donald / Not even a cannabis consumer, as far as is known, he was shot to death by federal agents during a raid that was apparently intended to forfeit his multi-million dollar property.

Serbin, Lawrence / Former acting director of BACH, HIA board member, founded HempTraders for hemp textiles and other hemp products, sponsored cultivation projects in California after industrial hemp farming was legalized federally.

Shafer, Cliff / founder of the online Drug Library, member of the Alliance of Reform Oganizations.

Shaw, Lynette / Reggae musician, founder of the Fairfax Cannabis Buyers Club.

Sherer, Steph / Founder of Americans for Safe Access (ASA), patient lobbies, participated in civil disobedience, organized nationally for medical marijuana rights.

Smith, Aaron / Headed Safe Access Now’s campaign to get counties to issue cannabis patient IDs, founded the National Cannabis Industries Assn. (NCIA) and served as its director.

Speciale, Aundre / Patient advocate, founded Sacramento CBC, CBCB

Stahl, John / Founder of Evanescent Press, hand-made the first domestic hemp paper, printed copies of the Declaration of Independence on hemp.

Stonehill, Jeffrey / Around the World Hemp founder, minstrel, self-anointed global ambassador of hemp.

Swerdlow, Lanny / Nurse, founder of MAPPS and Brownie Mary Democratic Clubs, advocate of Props 19 and 64.

Tischler, “Nurse” Andrea / Prop 215 activist, Santa Cruz medical marijuana advocate, founded the cannabis-friendly Compassion Flower Inn

Trippet, Pebbles / Was her own attorney for Trippet v CA win in appeals court that set “any reasonable amount” standard for medical marijuana patients. CCHS Advisory Board.

Vasquez, Lauren / Fired Up Attorney, worked with SSDP, ASA, community coordinator for Prop 64

Watson, Dave / Cannabis breeder of Skunk, Haze, California Orange, Early Girl, Durban Poison (w/Mel Frank), etc.

Waldos, The / San Rafael high school students who are credited with initiating the 420 phenomenon.

Wirtshafter, Don E / Ohio-based activist who worked on numerous California causes, co-founder of Patients Helping Patients Collective in Tehama County. Founder of The Cannabis Museum, Athens Ohio.

Zimmer, George / Funder of Prop 215, State of the World Forum. Founder and spokesperson for The Men’s Wearhouse and role model for successful cannabis consumers.

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