The cannabis community is grieving the loss of Greg Williams, aka Marijuana Man as he passed away from cancer today. Well known and well-liked, Greg Williams was a grassroots cannabis activist. If you have smoked bud in Canada, there is a possibility that it’s linked to genetics he distributed. Bought mail-order seeds from Cannabis Culture? He wrote the how-to instructions that were included with each order. You might also remember him as the MC of cannabis events like 420 Vancouver or Cannabis Day. Greg Williams got involved at a time when cannabis was viewed as illicit and put himself at risk to change the stigma. He worked hard and it made a difference. Respect should be shown where it’s due; here is a tribute to the memory of Marijuana Man, Greg Williams.
Sowing seeds…
In 1996, he began working at “the Emery Direct Marijuana Seed Bank”. With a mission to make cannabis seeds accessible, Greg ran the Seed Desk at Cannabis Culture Headquarters in Downtown Vancouver. Working alongside Marc Emery and the late Michelle Rainey, Greg sold literally millions of cannabis seeds across Canada and the US. In 2005, he was arrested for it and faced a life sentence. Luckily, they gave both Marijuana Man and Michelle Rainey probation; Marc Emery received a 5-year sentence.
So You Wanna Grow Pot
He wasn’t just about selling seeds; Greg Williams knew an immense amount about cannabis and was always happy to share what he knew. His humble demeanor, knowledge, and experience made him a go-to reference for the cannabis community. In 2002, Greg aired the first episode of his show “So You Wanna Grow Pot”. At a time when it was very illegal to grow cannabis, he filmed and published a how-to video online.
420 Vancouver
It wasn’t always serious. Greg liked to have fun, making him an annual crowd-pleaser at 420 events. The 420 Vancouver MC for multiple years, Greg was always chill and smoking something.
In early January 2021, Greg’s health rapidly began to decline. Strong and stoic, he suffered silently for as long as possible, until being admitted at Vancouver General Hospital. He passed away after battling what is described as “advanced widespread metastasis”.
Greg set up a fundraiser online to help with bills and living costs; the proceeds of this will now go to his family. If you would like to contribute to this fundraiser, click here.
A remembrance and celebration of life will be held on Pot TV this Wednesday. On February 17th at 4 pm PST, Jody Emery will be hosting a special tribute episode of “From Under The Influence”. Tune in on the @PotTVNetwork and @CannabisCultureMagazine platforms.
Today, we said goodbye to a cannabis activist that made a serious difference to the cause. At most, let his example inspire us all to be better, stand up for justice, and leave such a legacy. At the least, let’s just blaze one up to him and his philosophy… Peace and pot. May you rest in peace Marijuana Man.