Variety Magazine Does First Cannabis Issue

By Thor Benson

Since it first began publishing 111 years ago, the entertainment magazine Variety has never done an issue about cannabis. That just changed.

Tuesday's issue of Variety is called the "Legalization and Entertainment Report." The issue takes a deep dive into how marijuana legalization has influenced the entertainment industry. Considering some of the controversy that sometimes surrounds marijuana brands having the right to advertise in major spaces, it's refreshing to see the magazine giving marijuana companies a place to advertise their products.

"We're ecstatic at the opportunity to have a more mainstream audience get informed about the cannabis industry," Juli Crockett, chief of strategy and compliance for W Vapes , said of being featured in the issue. "So many of the celebrities being featured in Variety's Legalization and Entertainment Report are already big fans of our products. It's a perfect fit."

Everyone from Whoopi Goldberg to Tommy Chong is getting involved in the cannabis industry, so it's clear marijuana and entertainment are becoming more closely engaged. We're also seeing more movies and television shows that feature the marijuana industry and marijuana users. Variety appears to have recognized this and decided it was time to take a closer look.