How the AIDS Epidemic Sparked Cannabis Legalization: A Legacy of Compassion
When we talk about cannabis legalization today, the conversation often revolves around economics, entrepreneurship, or wellness trends. But at Collective High, we know the truth runs deeper—and it’s rooted in survival, grief, resistance, and care.
The modern cannabis movement owes much of its progress to the fierce advocacy born during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s. This history is not just essential—it’s sacred. And it’s a story we must keep telling.
The Early Medical Movement Was Queer, Radical, and Compassionate
As the AIDS crisis devastated communities—especially queer, Black, and Brown communities—patients began turning to cannabis to cope with the brutal symptoms of both the disease and its early treatments. Nausea. Wasting syndrome. Appetite loss. Chronic pain. Anxiety. Cannabis provided relief where pharmaceuticals failed.
In San Francisco, grassroots care networks sprang up, and cannabis became part of the community-based model of healing. People weren’t just advocating for access—they were fighting for their lives.
Dennis Peron: The Father of Medical Cannabis
One of the movement’s earliest champions was Dennis Peron, a gay man whose partner, Jonathan West, died of AIDS. Peron witnessed firsthand how cannabis improved Jonathan’s quality of life, and he made it his mission to legalize it.
He co-authored Proposition 215, which passed in 1996 and made California the first state in the U.S. to legalize medical marijuana. His activism was never about business. It was about compassion, autonomy, and honoring the dignity of the dying.
Brownie Mary: The Unsung Heroine
Alongside Peron was Mary Jane Rathbun, better known as Brownie Mary, a hospital volunteer who became famous for baking cannabis brownies for AIDS and cancer patients. Arrested multiple times for her activism, she remained unapologetic.
“If the narcs think I’m gonna stop baking brownies for my kids with AIDS, they can go fuck themselves in Macy’s window.”
Brownie Mary served as a cultural bridge, softening public opinion around cannabis by showing how it was used to ease suffering, not cause harm. Her legacy reminds us that kindness is revolutionary.
A Movement Born from Government Neglect
Let’s be clear: the U.S. government didn’t just ignore the AIDS crisis—it criminalized and stigmatized those most affected by it. The same was true for cannabis. So queer activists, caregivers, and medical renegades took matters into their own hands.
What we now call the cannabis industry was born not in boardrooms, but in hospital rooms, kitchens, protests, and funerals. These weren’t dispensaries—they were lifelines.
Why This History Still Matters
Today, as the cannabis space grows more commercial, we must remember the queer and activist roots of legalization. This movement was never just about freedom to consume, it was about freedom to live.
At Collective High, we honor this history by fighting for access, equity, and education. We advocate for the communities who laid the groundwork, especially those who were punished for doing so. We believe in telling the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Especially then.
The Call to Remember
We invite you to pause and ask:
- Who benefits from legalization today?
- Who still suffers under criminalization?
- How can we ensure that cannabis liberation includes everyone?
As we enjoy the privilege of legal access, let’s remember the legacy of those who made it possible. Let’s build a future rooted in their courage.
To learn more about the history of cannabis legalization through the lens of the AIDS Epidemic, please check out an interview with Collective High’s Founder, June Johnson, and John Entwistle Jr., available here.
In memory of all those lost to AIDS, and in honor of those who fought for our right to heal. 🌿❤️🔥