He’s played God and the President of the United States. He’s starred in dozens of blockbusters, narrated countless other films and documentaries. And last week, in an interview with Newsweek (released the day before The Dark Knight Rises hit theaters), Morgan Freeman reiterated his support for ending marijuana prohibition.
The whole interview is available here, but the highlight of the interview is his no-nonsense approach to marijuana policy:
You’ve also been a big proponent of the legalization of marijuana.
Marijuana! Heavens, oh yeah. It’s just the stupidest law possible, given history. You don’t stop people from doing what they want to do, so forget about making it unlawful. You’re just making criminals out of people who aren’t engaged in criminal activity. And we’re spending zillions of dollars trying to fight a war we can’t win! We could make zillions, just legalize it and tax it like we do liquor. It’s stupid.
Next week, we’ll be opening voting for the Top 50 Most Influential Marijuana Users, and Morgan Freeman is already on the list of nominees. Do you think the “former president” will join Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton on the list?
Also, the great folks working on the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Colorado put out this great graphic on Facebook last week, which is spreading like wildfire. Be sure to check it out and share it with your friends and family!
People like myself who suffer from multiple sclerosis can benifit from marijuana. Instead I pay thousands each month for legal drugs which have little of no effect on my illness. Why can’t the government focus on some real issues like corrupt government employees, and politicians? How is Medical Marijuana harming anyone?
I have spinal problems….tried it years ago and it was the best thing ever that has helped me. I would love to use it again but being it is illegal in NC I can not use it because I do not want to get it illegally. I do wish I kew someone whom I could trust to purchase it or a legal facility . I have had several operations on my spine and live with so much pain. I have taken meds through the years to no avail . (They do nothing for ne but knock me out) (percocet & Vicodins) Why can’t our politicians care about the people instead of the darn drug companies……the heck with the lies they try to tell the people so they think Marijuana is harmful….to whom?
Larry, Steve, I feel for you! And to tell you the truth, I’m sick of it! I’m a CNA people! This something I see every day! My stepson has Cerebral Palsy! He is the reason I am what I am now!
I thought I had seen courage, but until I met him, I had seen nothing! I’ve dedicated my life to his mother, him, and his brother. I am registered by The Great State of North Carolina, as consequence of a day long examination, which was given ion a town a long way away! As a result of 10 + years in the medical field, I make less than a stock boy at the local grocery store! Its not something you do to get rich!
Medical marijuana? I want ACROSS THE BOARD LEGALIZATION! I want Marijuana to be available to ALL adults!
Its time to stop wasting our money on draconian, and totalitarian enactments demanded for, “keeping our schools free of drugs” when we can’t even keep our prisons free of drugs! The only thing it does is make millionaires out of mobsters, and criminals out of people, who are NOT criminals!
If we all yell long enough, we might get their attention, or at least somebody else to yell with us! If we all yell together, they have to hear us!
Get registered to vote, and when you do, you get on the jury pool! When called, you go! If it is Marijuana case, VOTE NOT GUILTY!!!!!
I don’t care if the defendant was high-stepping down Main Street, with a brass band, and cheerleaders with a banner that says “Weed For Sale Cheap”! NOT GUILTY!
Take their victims from them! Pull the young people out before they get sent to a place that will REALLY make criminals out of them!
I’ve been yelling for over forty years, and I don’t know how much longer I can! But I’m damn sure going to give it all I got!
The war on drugs is yet another reason why we should vote for Gary Johnson. End this corrupt two party system and shake it up a bit. To all of you that actually want to see a useful cannabis law check him out. http://Www.garyjohnson2012.com for those of you that just sit around and complain but don’t vote…you have no right
i fully agree that marijuna should be de criminalized for anyone 18 and older i have suffered with back and joint pain for years i was hit by a car at 18 witch jump started my osteoarthritus for witch their is no legal perscription/over thecounter drug but marijuna has been proven to fight this disabling disease im only 32 no and suffer daily awaiting a cure and have been told by doctors i will be crippled by 50 so i say stop fighting the cure and start fighting for the cure ….and god bless america and all its people
If the government made marijuana legal and let all the people in prison over this stupid law out they would close allot of prisons and save millions of dollars. Also allot of people don’t know if you have ever been arrested for even one joint you can’t get a grant for college. That alone screws a lot young people out of getting a degree and having a better life. As far as the benefit to help the sick people marijuana doesn’t destroy your liver and other organs like the pain killers do to a person. That is the reason they call them pain killers because that is just what they do they kill people everyday but that is okay as long as the drug companies get their money and all the people in Washington DC get their kick back for saying pain killers are legal and do no harm. Ask any doctor what happens to a person’s body after taking pain killers for year after year. Millions of people go to Washington DC and protest over a cause because they want the people in Washington DC to hear them and what they are fighting over. That is just what we should do set a date and be there and put your name on a list to give to the people who are making our laws. If we had several million people show up on the White lawn maybe someone might listen to us so lets just do it and quit talking about it and get the law changed. It isn’t just the young people if you think that just look up THE SILVER TOUR on the internet and you will see how many senior’s are in need of this law changed because they can’t afford all these pills the doctors are giving them. Also they will tell you they don’t work and even Dr. Oz will back this up and he will tell you that herbs are the way to go. Thanks for listening to me because I’m one of those senior’s that is in pain with nerve damage and cancer from the time I wake up till I go to bed at night and even then sleep doesn’t come easy. For all the people that are sick like myself let us have a little peace of mind for what little time we have left. So lets set a date before the next election and be there. They may be surprised how many people are tired of the government trying to control our life by forcing health care that we don’t want.
I love you, Morgan. I’m proud of how you speak your mind about such a political subject. You are a great actor, and even a better peace & common sense leader in our recent times!
Peace!
Morgan Freeman is one of my favorite actors. His interview indicates, to me, he is a courageous public figure to openly express his views on a very controversial subject. I would agree with Brian Garfield regarding ‘common sense’.
Excellent! Thank you for standing up for what’s right! Too many people get jailed over a plant! Join North Carolina Cannabis Patients Network ( http://www.nccpn.org ) to help us bring medical marijuana to a schedule 3 and legalize it!
Mr Freemans work in the ‘…Wormhole..’ series should have exposed him to the contradictions that exist within life.
If MJ and Hemp did not present so many solutions to different needs, MJ would have been legalized or never criiminalized/tax stamped to oblivion.
Market control is the basis of all interaction for humans(Greed justified). True solutions are not wanted by market participants as market controls are useless… nobody wins in upper tier finances.
As long as the power that controls the market place can indiscriminately influence, in this case MJ prohibition, things will not change without overwhelming social pressure.
Simply boycotting those controlers in the marketplace would accomplish the same thing in veryshort order.
I still dream of legally having a victory garden and trying to recreate the legendary “HAZE”.
Dreams can come true. VOTE!
I do agree that it should be legalized. Especially for medical purposes. I was in a bad car accident when I was 17 years old and have been on pain killers and different muscle relaxers ever since due to the injuries that my back sustained. I try to take them as little as possible because of all the harmful side affects (especially when you consider that I have been on them for almost 10 years now). I have done a lot of research on the benefits of medical marijuana and found out that it would not only help my constant pain but my anxity disorder and asthma. So instead of muscle relaxers, anti-anxity meds, pain killers, and steriods I could smoke some weed, with little to no side effects, and get the same benefits. I am confused as to why this should even be a question anymore. I’m sick of hurting and I’m sick of popping pills that I can’t afford. It’s time that things start changing.
I have ALS and one of the few that has extreme pain. Why don’t they just legalize it and stop all the drugs I’m taking. I still have great pain with all the drugs I’m taking. Medical marijuana helps. Why help someone like me? Shame on you for not supporting this.
This is our GeneratiOn I live in louisiana 31 . I planted 4 trees my freedoms on the line, but everyday I get off work in the 105• humidy heat index and see rednecks downing beer as soon as they get off, this is crazy. Time To Take A Fucking Stand
Time to take a stand plant a tree. !!!! Fuk em they can’t stop us all
The reason MJ users get arrested is because friends, family members, and associates of the MJ users stand around, watch and allow the police to arrest the users of MJ.
If the friends, family member , or associates of MJ users would totally interfer and stop the police from making the arrests, the laws that were designed to stop people from interferring in arrests, would eventually be overturned because they would be useless, then the police would not be able to arrest people. It is for this reason because the people allow the arrests to happen that the police continue wasting their time on marijuana possession and use arrests, when they could be spending their valuable time on serious violent criminals. The people need to learn to band together and take a stand against laws that take away your freedoms and liberties for a non violent non-crime such as marijuana possession and use. There is no victim in marijuana use, no victim means no crime.
I said.. you ban Herbs because you really.. never tested or ….indeed as it happens to the 87, 9 % of the people who tried it, can´t smoke it and goes in a tormented mental hell because of the shit accomulated in your soul.. really you might not smoke it .. even if at the end becomes legal — is JUST NO DISCO MAN