Snoop Dogg, the iconic American rapper, has long been associated with the culture of smoking weed, making it a defining element of his persona. However, in a recent announcement on Instagram, the 52-year-old revealed his decision to part ways with this habit, stating, “I’m giving up smoke.” The post featured a photo of Snoop with folded hands, accompanied by a message expressing his thoughtful consideration and discussions with his family, urging respect for his privacy during this period.
Throughout the years, Snoop Dogg has been vocal about his experiences with marijuana, shaping his views on its significance. Reflecting on his first encounter with the substance in the 1970s, he shared with Esquire in 2008 how he got high for the first time with one of his uncles, using roaches from partially smoked marijuana cigarettes. Recalling the moment, he emphasized that marijuana makes him feel the way he needs to feel and acknowledged its roots in his youth.
The rapper’s advocacy for marijuana legalization is well-documented. In 2008, he proposed a unique approach to win over the President of the United States (POTUS) on the matter – by changing the room’s aroma through smoking. In an interview with Politico, he expressed his support for legalizing medical marijuana, drawing parallels with the legalization of alcohol and tobacco.
Snoop Dogg’s relationship with weed extends to his daily routine, as he revealed in a 2013 Twitter conversation (now X) that he consumes a notable number of blunts each day – a staggering 81, although the authenticity of this claim might be subject to exaggeration.
His journey with marijuana took an interesting turn when he smoked his first blunt with Tupac, expanding his smoking repertoire beyond joints. Recounting the experience in a 2018 interview with Howard Stern, Snoop admitted, “I smoked my first blunt with Tupac. I’d never smoked a blunt before. I was smoking joints.”
In a 2019 interview with Howard, Snoop disclosed that he employed a professional blunt roller, emphasizing the legitimacy of the position with the title “Professional Blunt Roller” on the employee’s résumé.
In a 2020 interview with High Times, Snoop Dogg credited weed as the most crucial element in hip-hop, asserting that it saved the genre from the destructive influence of cocaine. He highlighted the positive aspects of weed, such as increasing awareness, promoting peace when shared, and contrasting it with the detrimental effects of cocaine on the music industry.
As Snoop Dogg embarks on this new chapter of giving up smoking, his journey with weed remains a fascinating aspect of his identity, leaving an indelible mark on the intersection of his personal life and career in the world of hip-hop.