List of anti-cannabis activists

Anti-cannabis activists include individuals from many regions concerned with limitations on cannabis rights, or outright cannabis prohibition.

People

• Bill Bennett ^[1]
• Peter Bensinger ^[1]
• Joseph Califano ^[1]
• Alexandra Datig, organizer against 2010 California Proposition 19 ^[1]
• Robert DuPont ^[1]
• Calvina Fay, executive director, Drug Free America Foundation ^[1]
• David G. Evans, executive director, Drug Free Schools Coalition ^{[1] [2]}
• Pope Francis ^[1]
• Stuart Gitlow ^[1]
• Patrick J. Kennedy ^[1]
• Seth Leibsohn ^[1]
• Carla Lowe, co-founder, Californians for Drug-Free Youth and founder, Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana ^[1]
• Bertha Madras ^[1]
• David W. Murray, Hudson Institute ^[1]
• Luke Niforatos, executive vice president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana ^[3]
• Dennis Prager ^[1]
• Nancy Reagan, creator of U.S. "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign ^[4]
• Kevin Sabet, former U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy adviser, founder of Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions, ^{[1] [5]} and Smart Approaches to Marijuana executive
• Mel and Betty Sembler, founders, Straight, Inc. ^[1]
• Christian Thurstone, psychiatrist ^[1]
• Russell Vought ^[6]
• John P. Walters, former Office of National Drug Control Policy director ^[1]

See also

• List of anti-cannabis organizations

References

1. Michael Tremoglie (October 6, 2014). "Top 20 Anti-Marijuana Crusaders Fighting Against Pot Legalization". The Street .
2. Sarah Rummel Backer (July 18, 2019). "Alumnus is Nationally Recognized Addictions Expert and Cannabis Adversary". WestMO News and Events. Fulton, Missouri: Westminster College.
3. Natalie Fertig (October 23, 2023). "Weed wins galvanize Capitol Hill's anti-cannabis club". Politico . ...Luke Niforatos, executive vice president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, the leading anti-legalization advocacy group...
4. "Just Say No". history.com . Retrieved April 10, 2025.
5. Will Maupin (July 27, 2023). "Anti-cannabis activists are finding their time in the sun". The Inlander . Spokane, Washington.
6. Alexander Malyshev; Sarah Ganley (March 19, 2025). "Cannabis legalization pushback: Anti-legalization groups ramp up efforts to stop the green wave". Reuters. Russel Vought ... has raised concerns among reform advocates due to past statements referring to cannabis as a "gateway drug" and pushing for the rollback of state-level cannabis reforms.