With $22 billion in assets, the Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is in a unique position to affect change in federal and state cannabis policy. Their prime goal as a philanthropic institution is to enhance global health, education reform, and increased access to new technologies, to which end they contribute $1 billion every year. Medicinal cannabis ties directly into their health agenda…but what is the Gates Foundation’s stance on the topic?
It’s hard to say, actually.
Gates Foundation and Marijuana Laws
Created in 1999, the Foundation concentrates much of its U.S.-based focus on the Pacific Northwest. No surprises there, considering Bill Gates’ company, Microsoft, is headquartered nearby, in Redmond, Washington. Perhaps it is only coincidence that Washington, also known as the ‘Evergreen State, has legalized recreational and medical marijuana use…as have Oregon, California, and Nevada, all states daisy-chain connected to Gates’ two major bases of operations. But then again, Gates is a major cannabis advocate, and as the richest man in the world, his words and actions have impact.
How much so? Difficult to determine, especially in terms of the Foundation and its approach to cannabis reform. Information found online can be questionable, at best. Humboldt Labs flatly states that, ‘Back in 2005, Bill Gates met Afghanistan veterans,’ and that ‘ever since hearing their stories that day, Gates has set out to find the safest, most effective form of medicinal cannabis for treating the conditions of former soldiers..’ This article’s source link was invalid, however.
What we do know is that Gates himself voted to legalize recreational marijuana in Washington. Although he remains coy about admitting if he’s ever used the drug, he did go on record to say that decriminalization is ‘an experiment,’ and that it’s ‘probably good to have a couple states try it out to see before you make that national policy.’
So clearly he’s onboard with the approach of slow introduction of marijuana back into the mainstream culture…
This is a very wise and cautious approach, for it allows the population to have an opportunity to witness, in a controlled area, the effects of legalized marijuana use…as well as its potential for boosting local economies.
Philanthropic organizations like the Gates Foundation are dedicated to social change at the grassroots level and beyond. By strongly and openly advocating for legalization, Gates is bridging the gap between cannabis advocacy and philanthropy, which is a large step forward to influencing public’s outlook. Think of it from a marketing perspective. When a company wants to target a specific niche group of consumers, they often hire a celebrity to endorse their product or service in an ad campaign.
Gates’ reach goes beyond celebrity status. His software runs on 1.5 billion computers around the world. He alone is able to help sway public and legal opinion, opening doors to allow cannabis to be used openly. The effect of open usage can then be seen and analyzed, and the long-standing myths and stigmas associated with cannabis use can perhaps finally be swept away.
Instead of being seen as the ‘deadly scourge which drags our children into the quagmires of degradation’ (as one old Reefer Madness poster puts it), marijuana might be finally viewed as a viable and perhaps even safer alternative to alcohol. More significantly, medical cannabis, once free of any negative associations, can finally bring relief to the masses suffering from a plethora of ailments.
Cannabis Research and Gates Foundation
Another article which could not be fact-checked, claims that ‘a massive study funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, partnering with Harvard, Johns Hopkins University, and several other top Universities around the world, found that anxiety affects nearly 1 in every 13 people worldwide.’ The article goes on to suggest that pharmaceutical drug use can lead to experiencing severe side effects, whereas natural cannabis offers relief from anxiety symptoms in a safer manner.
This may be true, but in terms of validity, the biggest problem seems to be that many online cannabis sites try to make a connection between cannabis advocacy and the Gates Foundation, but without offering any proof whatsoever that such connections exist. We do know that Microsoft itself has partnered with Kind Financial, based in California, to ‘offer governments and regulatory agencies the tools and technology to monitor cannabis compliance.’ So Microsoft is putting its money where Gates’ mouth is. But finding concrete evidence of the Gates Foundation overtly endorsing cannabis is like searching for unicorns.
Instead, most research keeps pointing back to Gates specifically, who is also on record for saying illegal drug dealers ‘are going to make a lot less money, and some of the perverse things about the illegal drug trade will be avoided.’ So we know the man himself is keen on legalization, but the Gates Foundation website does not list ‘cannabis’ or ‘marijuana’ anywhere in its posts. There is literally no validated source material regarding their stance on the drug. Again, the previously mentioned articles which make reference to links between the Foundation and cannabis are in the retail business, and thus could simply be fabricating content to boost sales.
So the Gates Foundation itself seems to still be holding out on making any commitment to or against cannabis. Their position, by default, is conservative. We know they put great efforts into polio research, and medical cannabis has a strong association with relieving symptoms of Post-Polio Syndrome. There’s just nothing on record to validate any links between two. Perhaps there is a link, but the Foundation chooses not to put out that information for public consumption yet.
Regardless, we think it is significant in and of itself that the Foundation’s founder, who happens to be the wealthiest individual on the planet, endorses a positive view on marijuana use. His clout and influence go a long ways in altering the reputation of cannabis and its users, while lending an air of validity to the industry as a whole.
Bill may not want to admit to being a pot user himself, but he has picked his side of the aisle, helping to pave the way for others to follow.
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