Cheech and Chong's cannabis company registers to hire lobbyist in California
SACRAMENTO — Are Hollywood's most famous stoners making a power play at the California capitol?
If you're old enough, you may remember Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong for their comedic marijuana movies.
You might say their whole image is baked into the marijuana business. The comedy duo made pot-smoking part of American cinema in the 1970s.
Cheech and Chong are now 79 and 86, respectively. They have their own brand of cannabis products, and the pair's Cheech and Chong Global Holdings Company just registered with the California Secretary of State to hire a lobbyist.
Jonathan Black works for the Cheech and Chong Holding Company and said the lobbying move is no laughing matter.
"They are my bosses. I talk to them quite regularly," Black said. "They are highly intelligent gentlemen who care about cannabis use, right? It's pretty serious. We're trying to protect the hemp-derived drinks we have in the state of California right now."
Dennis Bozanich is a California marijuana consultant who said the state of the industry is in distress.
"The promise of the big wave of cash and resources and all of that was lasted about 18 months," Bozanich said.
Bozanich said greed got the best of the industry. He said what was once described as the Wild West now has too many regulations and taxes, forcing many businesses to close.
Bozanich estimates there are a third of businesses now compared to when recreational weed was made legal in 2016. Now, Cheech and Chong are riding to the rescue as California marijuana businesses go up in smoke.
At the end of this month, Cheech and Chong Global Holdings will have to file more paperwork with the state showing how much money they have spent and on exactly what issues.
