Musicians and Cannabis: A History of Legal Persecution in the United States

From the historic arrests of iconic musicians like David Bowie, Carlos Santana, and Willie Nelson to modern cases during the era of state legalization, cannabis and music have shared a long history of government repression in the United States. Despite wealth and fame often serving as legal shields, being a musician who uses cannabis can still result in criminal prosecution. This article examines how cannabis criminalization has disproportionately affected the music industry and how changing state-level legalization efforts are gradually reshaping this landscape, though federal prohibition continues to create legal vulnerabilities for artists.