The celebrities who have gone into cannabis and CBD

The gradual legalisation of recreational cannabis in several American states and in Canada has opened up a mainstream consumer market, comparable to that of spirits or cosmetics. As in those sectors, a public figure's fame allows a brand to stand out quickly on a shelf where products often look alike. The phenomenon concerns recreational cannabis (active THC) as much as wellness CBD, with very different market logics between the two categories.

Snoop Dogg co-founded the cannabis brand "Leafs by Snoop", sold on the legal Californian market. Whoopi Goldberg launched, with the entrepreneur Maya Elisabeth, the brand "Whoopi & Maya", originally positioned around CBD products aimed at menstrual discomfort. Willie Nelson, a musician and long-standing campaigner for legalisation, owns the brand "Willie's Reserve". Martha Stewart launched a CBD range in partnership with the Canadian group Canopy Growth. Seth Rogen co-founded the brand "Houseplant", which sells cannabis and objects tied to the ritual of consumption. These ventures remain confined to markets where recreational cannabis or ingested CBD benefits from a specific regulatory framework.

Most of these products contain THC at an active dose, which classifies them as narcotics under French law: the French threshold of 0.30% THC applies to the finished product, and not to the total mass of the product as in the United States. Even the strictly CBD ranges of these North American brands would have to comply, in order to be marketed in France, with the French THC threshold and with the European Novel Food regulation applicable to ingested cannabinoids since 15 May 2026. That is why these references are not found in French shops, even where they are legally sold in their country of origin.

The fact that a product carries the name of a well-known figure changes nothing about the applicable regulatory framework. No French or European authority (EFSA, ANSM, HAS) has validated a health claim for CBD, whatever the brand. Communication asserting that a product "heals", "treats" or "cures" falls outside the authorised legal framework, celebrity endorsement or not. The certificate of analysis from an independent laboratory remains the only reliable document for checking a product's actual composition, and is far more useful than a famous name on the label.

The celebrity-brand phenomenon above all illustrates the maturity of the North American cannabis market, where fame becomes a commercial argument as it does in other consumer sectors. In France, the same vigilance applies whatever the name on the bottle: check the THC threshold, ask for a certificate of analysis, and never rely on an unvalidated health claim. To understand this framework in detail, see our article on the differences between CBD and THC.

Can you buy Snoop Dogg's cannabis brand in France?

No. These products contain THC at an active dose, classified as a narcotic in France. Importing or possessing them would constitute a criminal offence, regardless of their legality in the United States.

Are CBD products associated with a celebrity more reliable?

Not necessarily. The reliability of a CBD product depends on its certificate of analysis and on compliance with the French regulatory framework, not on the fame of the person promoting it.

Why do American brands rely so heavily on celebrities?

The legal cannabis market there is recent and highly competitive. A public figure's fame helps a brand differentiate itself quickly, as in other fast-moving consumer sectors.

Are there French CBD brands associated with public figures?

Some French brands work occasionally with local personalities for communication campaigns, always within the French framework: no health claims, and finished-product THC ≤ 0.30%.