Gary Johnson To Head Marijuana Company

Gary Johnson

Former New Mexico Governor, Republican candidate for President, and 2012 Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson is getting into the pot business:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A Nevada-based startup that plans on selling medical and recreational marijuana products named former New Mexico governor and U.S. Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson as its CEO and president, the company announced Tuesday.

The announcement came as Cannabis Sativa Inc. said it had acquired marijuana research business Kush while company officials work to navigate changing state laws on marijuana and potential challenges from the federal government, which still views marijuana as a controlled substance.

Johnson said he hoped to expand Cannabis Sativa into a major marijuana business and intends to work out of New Mexico to help develop products that are legal in states like Colorado and Washington.

“I generally believe this is changing the planet for the better,” said Johnson, who will be paid $1 a year and receive equity in the company. “It also is a bet on the future … We think we have the creme de la creme of marijuana products.”

Johnson, who owned a construction company that helped build Intel Corp.’s Rio Rancho, New Mexico, plant before entering politics, said the company will make marijuana-based oils aimed at helping children with epilepsy. The two-term governor also said it will make cough drop-like products for recreational use.

“Couple of things hit you when you try the product. One is, wow, why would anybody smoke marijuana given this is an alternative?” Johnson said. “And then secondly, it’s just very, very pleasant. I mean, very pleasant.”

No doubt, Governor.

Assuming Johnson has interest in seeking the Libertarian nomination in 2016, which certainly seems to be the case given his continued involvement in the party, this obviously won’t hurt him.

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Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. Ron Beasley says:

    Colorado and Washington opened a flood gate. Legalized recreational pot will be on the ballot here in Oregon in November and I’m sure it will pass. California already defacto has it since all you have to have is $100 to pay a doctor to prescribe it for your ingrown toenail.

  2. rudderpedals says:

    @Ron Beasley: Are there any reports yet on whether the legalization is affecting crime rates to your north and south (or even where you are, in-between)?

  3. bandit says:

    I guess that makes him the pot-head

  4. Ron Beasley says:

    @rudderpedals: In Colorado there is evidence that crime rates have gone down. Too early to tell in Washington.

  5. grumpy realist says:

    So that old saw about Libertarians being Republicans who want to smoke pot is, in fact, literally true?