One of the most iconic duos for the unmistakable imagery surrounding cannabis is Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong. These guys made it cool to smoke cannabis and gave citizens access to characters that they could identify with. Riding around in their tricked out low-rider automobile, these two would transport into different realms of time and space during their journey. Clearly, they became iconic within the cannabis industry and broke the mold for cinematic roles that involve burning the herbal remedy.
Mary Jane the totemic woman
Cheech and Chong (Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong) were ahead of their time and were two of the first actors to ever partake in what would appear to be the consumption of cannabis within a movie production. What’s amazing about their movies, though, is that no real cannabis was ever inhaled on set. In order to maintain and sustain a level of focus, the two would toke on tobacco products that were rolled into joints.
What is particularly interesting about Cheech and Chong is the way that they could perform their roles in a multitude of ways. Instead of cut-up scripts, they would often act upon natural and habitual cues. What this means is that the majority of their lines were improvised. The directors and producers rarely corrected them when it came to their improvisational input because they possessed a great deal of naturally gifted artistic ability. Sure, they smoked in real-life, but remained adamant that it would not affect their workflow and daily progress.
Another significant cannabis icon is Jeff Spiccoli from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” As a blithe, good-natured and carefree character, Spiccoli proved that ignorance is bliss. His mindfulness and inclination to remain firmly within the moment represent positive short-term aspects of cannabis culture. He proved to be a derivative icon who defied tradition and supplied dissident behavior as a utilitarian purpose toward his life functions.
Spiccoli was also a major proponent of surf culture which is subversive in nature. Surf culture and cannabis culture relate to each other majorly due to their contemplative nature and prominence as disruptive subcultures. It is clear that Spiccoli represented a far-out version of transcendentalism. With metaphysical enlightenment, all he needed was some “cool waves and a tasty buzz” to be just fine.
Flamethrower
While Spiccoli, Cheech and Chong represented some of the earlier icons within the cannabis ecosystem there have been a few major figures that have emerged as of late. One of the most intriguing idols that have made headlines within the cannabis industry is Elon Musk. His huge puff on Joe Rogan’s podcast had the internet buzzing for weeks. This innocent experimentation actually led to a reviewal of his government security clearance. Musk considers the properties of cannabis to affect him like, “A cup of coffee in reverse.” He has created a rapport with the cannabis industry with slight jabs such as an acknowledgment of when TeslaX hit 420 in stock price.
Certainly not one to shy away from such a lucrative industry, Musk has utilized his influence as a way to destigmatize and carry on the necessary dialogue surrounding the plant. His intellect and knack for logical reasoning far surpass the majority of humankind. Recently, he raised $20M with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant 20 million trees. His Space Exploration Technology Corporation will soon launch military spy satellites. His Boring company has released incredible gadgets such as a flamethrower and continues to innovate at an exponential rate.
Certainly, cannabis is a substance that is known to induce laughter. For utmost hilarity, look no further than Dave Chappelle’s character “Thurgood Jenkins” in “Half-Baked.” This movie was initially coined as disastrous but redeemed itself as it became known to be much more enjoyable while blazed. Much like Cheech and Chong, no actual cannabis was consumed while on set (except for possibly the scene with Snoop Dogg.) Well, actually Jim Breur believed he was finished with his set for the day so he (one of three main characters) rolled one up while in his trailer to relieve some stress. The day that Breur sampled some relief ganja was the same day final scenes were captured. “Half-Baked” lives on in cannabis infamy and is considered a classic for enjoying the comedic healing properties of cannabis
The common theme throughout this cannabis writing sample is business before pleasure. Sure, all of the iconic figures mentioned here partook in some recreational herbal activity. But, they all handle their main priorities beforehand. The occasional cannabis toke might have allowed them to compound their productivity by making additional discoveries. Or, maybe it just helped them take the edge off. Either way, these legends experienced endless benefits and reaped the rewards from the cultivation of the cannabis crop.
