In a July 2012 Newsweek interview, Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman called marijuana prohibition “just the stupidest law possible, given history,” and said the country should “legalize it and tax it like we do liquor.” Three years later he explained the personal side: he uses cannabis for fibromyalgia pain in his arm left by a 2008 car crash, and said it is the only thing that gives him relief.
What Happened
Freeman made the remarks while promoting The Dark Knight Rises, which opened that month. In the interview, published July 15, 2012, he said: “It’s just the stupidest law possible, given history.” He added, “We could make zillions, just legalize it and tax it like we do liquor,” as the Marijuana Policy Project noted at the time (MPP). Our original 2012 post credited the quote to Time magazine. It came from Newsweek, which was then publishing through The Daily Beast.
Why It Mattered
The timing gave the comments weight. Freeman was 75, one of the most recognizable voices in film, and he spoke out four months before Colorado and Washington voted on the first adult-use legalization measures. Older public figures rarely endorsed legalization outright then. The quote was picked up widely and still appears in lists of celebrity arguments for reform.
The Fibromyalgia Interview (2015)
On August 3, 2008, Freeman was badly hurt when his car rolled over near Ruleville, Mississippi. Rescuers had to cut him free, and he was flown to a Memphis hospital (BBC News). Nerve damage left his left arm and hand largely paralyzed, and he developed fibromyalgia.
In a May 2015 interview with The Daily Beast while promoting 5 Flights Up, he described his own use: “I have fibromyalgia pain in this arm, and the only thing that offers any relief is marijuana.” Asked how he takes it, he answered, “However it comes! I’ll eat it, drink it, smoke it, snort it!” He again called for legalization nationwide, pointed to children with severe seizures who had been helped by cannabis, and compared it favorably with alcohol: “Maybe if you have one drink it’ll quiet you down, but two or three and you’re screwed” (TheGrio, citing The Daily Beast).
The science on cannabis for fibromyalgia is still limited and mixed. Our review of cannabis and fibromyalgia research covers what trials have found.
Legacy
Freeman’s 2012 line became one of the most quoted celebrity statements of the early legalization era, alongside the shift we tracked in public opinion polls. For other public figures who have spoken about their own use, see our list of famous people who smoke weed. The policy he asked for has partly arrived: many states now tax and regulate adult-use cannabis much as he described, but cannabis outside state medical programs is still illegal under federal law. See our federal marijuana law guide for where that stands in 2026.
Morgan Freeman Marijuana FAQ
What did Morgan Freeman say about marijuana laws?
In a July 2012 Newsweek interview he called prohibition “just the stupidest law possible, given history” and said to “legalize it and tax it like we do liquor.”
Does Morgan Freeman use medical marijuana?
Yes, by his own account. In 2015 he told The Daily Beast that marijuana is the only thing that relieves the fibromyalgia pain in his arm.
Why does Morgan Freeman have fibromyalgia?
He developed it after a rollover car crash near Ruleville, Mississippi, on August 3, 2008, which also left his left hand largely paralyzed.
Originally reported by The Weed Street Journal; rewritten and updated in October 2026 with what happened next.
