Shows like Downtown Abbey, Palm Royale, and more have showed the  big, big rich lives – and a few even touched the marijuana counterculture movement.

It seems we can’t get enough about the lives of the very rich. Shows including Downtown Abbey, Succession, the Gilded Age, and Palm Royale are all over and people are loving it. Ryan Murphy has done well and is just off his latest series Truman Vs.The Swans.  All of this highlights the extremely well to do and how they live life.  But did you know about the gilded age Heiress who helped the marijuana movement?

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The Mellon family is in the rare category of being big then and still today. On the East Coast they continue to still have pull and cache like the “new money” Gates, Zuckerberg and Bezos.   An old family from Pittsburgh, they made the start of it all in banking, the Mellon in today’s BNY Mellon. The family includes Andrew Mellon, one of the longest serving Treasury Secretaries, along with famous members in the judicial, banking, financial, business, and political professions.  Bunny Mellon was one of the great philanthropists and art collectors.  A dear friend of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, she designed a number of significant gardens, including the White House Rose Garden

But it was Peggy Mellon Hitchcock, another Mellon heiress who helped the counterculture. Her mother was a Mellon and her father, Thomas Hitchcock Jr., was a leading polo player and a partner at Lehman Brothers.  Peggy was a spitfire and was as comfortable in the family’s many homes as in a smokey jazz club with artists. Spirited and fun she was always open to what’s new and what’s next.  She had an unlikely relationship with Timothy O’Leary. She persuaded her brothers to let O’Leary have use of their joint family estate Daheim (also known as Millbrook or the Hitchcock estate).

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For 5 years, O’Leary, thanks to Peggy lived like a king and had guests including Allen Ginsberg, Charles Mingus, and R. D. Laing to the old monied manse. What went on is the stuff of legends with a blend of art, marijuana, money, new ideas, psychedelics, music and love. The The New York Times’ Luc Sante, described it as “a period filled with endless parties, epiphanies and breakdowns, emotional dramas of all sizes, and numerous raids and arrests.” Nina Grabol shared it was “a cross between a country club, a madhouse, a research institute, a monastery, and a Fellini movie set.”

Peggy was responsible for helping the counterculture rest, regroup, and move forward.  Who knew this would be the early path to rescheduling?

The Economic Impact of Cannabis: A Growth Engine for Local Economies

The rapid expansion of the cannabis industry is reshaping local economies, injecting over $100 billion into the US economy in 2023, with a projected 12.5% growth in 2024. This significant impact is supported by companies like Seed Connect, a US-based cannabis seed bank.

Beyond direct sales, the broader economic ripple effect benefits various sectors, enhancing both community development and financial prosperity. The contribution of cannabis to local economies extends beyond mere financial injections.

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For every $10 spent on cannabis products, an additional $18 flows back into the economy, driving economic activity that supports small businesses, creates jobs, and generates substantial tax revenue.  This multiplier effect underscores cannabis as a robust driver of local economic growth.

States like California, Colorado, and Washington have seen cannabis tax revenues surpass those from alcohol, highlighting the industry’s potential as a significant fiscal contributor.

The ongoing legalization and increasing acceptance of cannabis across the U.S. promise to amplify these economic benefits. Furthermore, the cannabis sector has become a critical employment hub, supporting over 400,000 full-time jobs nationwide.  This number is expected to rise as the market expands, illustrating the industry’s role in fostering a diverse range of job opportunities across retail, cultivation, and beyond.

The economic dynamics of the cannabis industry also include enhancing public health outcomes.

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Many localities utilize cannabis tax revenues to fund public services such as education and healthcare, directly benefiting community welfare.

Moreover, the industry’s growth encourages sustainable agricultural practices and technological innovations that further enhance its economic and environmental impact.

Considering these factors, the economic influence of cannabis not only represents a compelling narrative for States contemplating or already benefiting from legalization but also positions the industry as a pivotal element in future economic planning.

Investors, policymakers, and community leaders are increasingly recognizing the potential for sustained economic benefits, making cannabis a crucial area of interest in economic development discussions.

As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, its capacity to contribute to economic stability and growth becomes ever more apparent, ensuring a dynamic and resilient future for local economies.

Both were high flying symbols of the promise of the legal cannabis industry.  Both, at one point, led by an Adam and both made mainstream headlines.  Now, as the cannabis world take another key step toward mainstreaming, these two iconic cannabis companies could disappear. Both High Times and Medmen went into receivership in the month of April.

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As the cannabis industry enters a new era, both companies straddled the gulf between the weed wild wild west and today’s market-price/share-price focus.  Early on, each became the darling of media attention and part of the general population’s conversation. Medmen’s antics saw them skewered on the hit show South Park.  Both became regulars on Cheddar as industry thought leaders. High Times, the founder of the original cannabis cup, made high flying deals, did a controversial “non” public offering, and, in looks, expanded into dispensaries.  Both are now in court waiting to see what happens to the companies and assets.

Medmen hit the market in 2010 with co-founder in Adam Bierman and Andrew Modlin. In 2018 MedMen West Hollywood was one of the first legal cannabis dispensaries to open in California. Hailed as the Apple Store of weed, their slick design captured the feel of the new wider market and set the pace for of retails wishing to attract an expanding mainstream consumer. From there came an expansion including an expensive sort of store on 5th Ave in New York City, greenhouse grows, a REIT, and lots of press.  Things began changing when they went public with a reverse merger.  Things took an ugly turn with a messy lawsuit with the outgoing CFO, the the Journal of the American Medical Association called them out for their marketing, and things went down hill quickly. On March 11, 2024, it was reported by several sources that Medmen had closed operations everywhere except for in San Diego and near LA International Airport. It was announced the company is $411 million in debt while awaiting the court’s decision about their future.

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High Times was the leader of the marijuana movement, helping people learn, engage and get stoned. They taught people the value of medical marijuana and brought celebrities to the forefront of the movement. Then the 44-year-old magazine was sold to a group of investors led by Adam Levin and the Los Angeles-based Oreva Capital for $42 million. Rumor has it, the founder’s widow is still owed money from this deal. Levin claimed he could raise the value of the company to $100s of million of dollars, but followed was a messy, tangled trip leaving heartbroken investors behind. Multi rounds of funding with a variety of valuations, a semi-offering to the general public at $11 a share, cancelled cannabis cups, and a web of activities raised eyebrows. From a practical point of you, the site never really looked at the new legal market, they figured the newbies would immediately embrace the legacy culture. Instead, companies like Wana Brands appealed to them with gummies named Calm. The movement moved on and High Times tried to enter the dispensary market. Now all the assets sit with a receiver and the fate of the legendary leader is unknown.

These are the tails of a fast rising, consumer driven, mainstreaming industry.