Cheech Marin Knows What's Good (And His Weed Is Living Proof Of It)

By Melanie Erbar.

Versión en Español en El Planteo: Especial 4/20: Cheech Marin Sí que Sabe de Buen Porro

Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is no newcomer to the Cannabis loving community. In fact, he’s been around longer than most and is now considered one of the top weed connoisseurs in the U.S. - if not the world. As one half of the iconic comedy duo Cheech and Chong, the third generation Mexican-American actor solidified his on-screen presence back in the late 70’s when he starred in the stoner film Up in Smoke, directed by Lou Adler, alongside Tommy Chong - a.k.a. the ‘pope of pot’.

While the cannabis cult movie and other hits like Next Movie (1980) and Still Smokin (1983) catapulted the duo into American counter-culture icons - who starred in over 60 films thereafter - the Chicano actor took his love for weed off screen for almost 3 decades, only to reemerge in 2016 with the drama Dark Harvest.

Mary Jane Runs In The Family

Cheech and cannabis continued their long time friendship over decades, with him consuming the plant openly and always advocating for its health benefits. As he told Forbes: “as a long time believer that marijuana can have great health benefits when used correctly, I am thrilled that so many people will now have access to its healing properties.” And as it turns out, the actor’s extensive knowledge and experience with weed strains turned out to be his secret weapon when launching his own brand of products.

See Also: Why Tommy Chong, At Age 80, Is The Reigning Cannabis Legend

Cheech’s Private Stash is his family run cannabis business that guarantees customers their product “will always be good” because Cheech chose it. What better assurance than that of an OG stoner! The company, which focuses on curating and marketing cannabis products, was rolled out 2017 in partnership with Redwood Cultivation, a Nevada-based cultivation facility that works with smaller scale sites and local growers to offer premium hand picked flower.

The family really runs deep in this one, with Cheech’s daughter Jasmin responsible for the business’ brand image and package designs, while his son Joey-Dee uses his cannabis connoisseurship to assist in the bud production and selection process. Cheech’s Private Stash offers pre rolled joints in 4 different strains, as well as gram or eighth pots of Do Si Dos, Jamaican Rise and Purple Primate, which can be purchased at dispensaries throughout California, Nevada, and Colorado and online.   

A Fan Of Expansion And Regulation

Cheech intends to expand his Private Stash brand to Canada through a three-year agreement with Heritage/PhyeinMed. The actor is also hopeful about the future of U.S. regulations.

See Also: Willie Nelson Is The Hero That The Cannabis Industry Needs

As he told Forbes, he strongly believes in state and federal regulation of cannabis, similar to the three-tier system applied to alcoholic beverage production and distribution. “Why shouldn’t the government regulate cannabis so it is safe for all consumers, as well as collecting tax revenue, which could be huge for this country? Can you imagine how it could help alleviate the national deficit?”. What direction state policymakers will take is still to be determined, but advocates like Marin can only help move the needle.

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All photos from company website. Copyright 2019 Cheech’s Private Stash.