In July 2014, Snoop Dogg told Jimmy Kimmel on his web talk show “GGN” that he had smoked marijuana at the White House, “but in the bathroom.” The claim has never been confirmed and was told as a comic story, but it went viral and became part of Snoop’s public identity as hip-hop’s best-known cannabis user. Within a few years he had turned that identity into real cannabis businesses.
What Happened
The story aired in an episode of GGN (Snoop’s “Double G News Network” web series) released in late July 2014, with Kimmel as his guest. Snoop said that during a White House visit he asked staff where the restroom was, was asked whether it was for “No. 1 or No. 2,” and answered No. 2. He said security suggested he “light a piece of napkin” to cover the smell, and that he lit something else instead. Kimmel called it “some story” and joked that ABC doesn’t allow pot smoking. Snoop’s sign-off: “Legalize it and I’ll advertise it!” (NBC Washington, July 23, 2014; Mediaite).
He did not say when the visit took place, and news reports at the time did not pin down a date. There was no public White House response. It is the same kind of claim Willie Nelson made about smoking on the White House roof during the Carter years (Stars and Stripes), and it rests on the teller’s word alone.
Background: Snoop’s Cannabis Persona, 2012 to 2014
By 2014 Snoop had spent two decades rapping about weed, and he was leaning into it as a brand.
- Reincarnated (2012): The Vice documentary, directed by Andy Capper, followed Snoop to Jamaica as he explored Rastafari, recorded a reggae album and rebranded himself “Snoop Lion.” It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2012, and opened in theaters on March 21, 2013. Rastafari elder Bunny Wailer later accused him of “outright fraudulent use” of the faith (film record). In 2012 he was also selling branded merchandise, including rolling papers, through his online store, as our original post from that year noted.
- The Mayweather bet (2013): After Floyd Mayweather beat Canelo Álvarez on September 14, 2013, Snoop posted an Instagram photo of a large bag of marijuana he said he had won betting on Mayweather against a friend. Reports put it at about a pound (NewsOne; Fox Sports).
- G Pen (2013): In November 2013 he released a branded vaporizer with Grenco Science.
What Happened Next
As states legalized, Snoop moved from talking about weed to selling it. In April 2015 he invested in Eaze, a California cannabis delivery startup. In October 2015 he launched Merry Jane, a cannabis news and culture site. In November 2015 he introduced Leafs By Snoop in Denver, a line of flower, concentrates and edibles, described as the first time a major celebrity branded a legal marijuana product line (The Atlantic). The line was later produced by Canopy Growth. In July 2024 he announced his first licensed dispensary, S.W.E.D., in Los Angeles (biography).
The White House story itself never moved past anecdote. No staff member or official ever confirmed or denied it.
Legacy
The bathroom story is a small piece of a bigger shift. In 2014, a celebrity bragging about getting high at the White House was a punchline. A decade later, that same celebrity owned licensed cannabis brands and a dispensary, and marijuana was legal for adults in roughly half the states. Federal law has moved too, though not all the way: see our federal marijuana law guide. For California rules, where S.W.E.D. operates, see our California marijuana laws guide, and for D.C.’s rules see our Washington, D.C. guide. More culture history is in marijuana history.
Snoop Dogg White House FAQ
Did Snoop Dogg really smoke weed in the White House?
He said he did, in a bathroom, on his GGN show with Jimmy Kimmel in July 2014. It has never been independently confirmed, and he told it as a joke.
When did Snoop make the White House claim?
In a GGN episode released in late July 2014. NBC Washington and other outlets reported it on July 23, 2014.
What is Reincarnated?
A 2012 Vice documentary about Snoop’s trip to Jamaica and his short-lived reinvention as reggae artist Snoop Lion. It premiered at TIFF in September 2012.
What cannabis businesses does Snoop Dogg own?
His ventures have included Leafs By Snoop (2015), the Merry Jane media site (2015), an early stake in Eaze (2015) and the S.W.E.D. dispensary in Los Angeles, announced in 2024.
Originally reported by The Weed Street Journal; rewritten and updated in October 2026 with what happened next.