The modern cannabis market and its sleek dispensaries, brand collaborations, and Green Wednesday promos for infused pre-rolls feel far removed from the world where activists went to jail for baking weed brownies for the terminally ill. However, the roots of today’s booming industry are deeply intertwined with a pivotal moment in public health history: the AIDS crisis.
The efforts of activists in the 1980s and 1990s not only transformed public perception of cannabis, but laid down the infrastructure and ethos that continue to shape today’s legal cannabis world.
In the early years of the epidemic, people with AIDS confronted not only a devastating viral disease but also harrowing side effects from emerging treatments. Those afflicted often endured loss of appetite and wasting syndrome, increasing their suffering and ability to fight the disease simultaneously. Cannabis showed real promise to help, but was illegal at the federal and state levels with hefty penalties thanks to the War on Drugs. Despite this, communities and activists came together to build informal networks and collectives to distribute cannabis as a life-saving medicine.
A Fight that Began with Compassion
There was nothing abstract or academic about this activism—it was literal survival, as the government and the medical infrastructure failed to respond effectively despite the devastating loss. In the United States, 100,777 people died of AIDS between 1981-1990, with one-third of those happening in 1990 alone.
Something had to be done, so groups like ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) challenged the inertia. San Francisco‑based Dennis Peron, who saw firsthand how cannabis eased agony for his partner and friends dying of AIDS, became a driving force in the movement throughout the 1990s. Joined by other notable activists like Mary Jane Rathbun, aka Brownie Mary, he helped draft California’s Proposition 215, the landmark medical cannabis law that would become a template for other states.
In New York, organizations like Housing Works and the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) played similar roles, providing shelter and health care support while educating patients. New York City was recovering from a budget crisis, making nonprofit and community-led programs even more essential to provide help. It’s impossible to underestimate the stigma associated with AIDS at the time, which was fueled by homophobia and misinformation, and grassroots organizers took the lead in advocacy and care in the face of government neglect. The early activists took plenty of risks. Brownie Mary was arrested three times in her efforts to bring relief to patients.
The advocacy of AIDS-era organizers opened pathways for today’s medical cannabis research. By centering their work on compassion, science, and human dignity, they redefined public discourse and reframed cannabis as a tool of care, rather than a subversive drug. Organizations like TAG (Treatment Action Group) helped to reshape the clinical trials by facilitating community participation trial protocols.
Modern studies on pain relief, appetite stimulation, and inflammation build upon the precedent those early activists established. Without their insistence that cannabis be taken seriously, much of that science might never have moved forward due to the research constraints of the 1970 federal Controlled Substances Act.
The U.S. medical cannabis and adult-use markets now regularly generate tens of billions in sales, spanning everything from high-potency concentrates to artisanal edibles. Underneath the surface of this commercial boom lies a legacy of activism: the medical frameworks, patient protections, and regulatory systems were all born from the crucible of the AIDS movement.
This connection is honored each year on December 1, which is World AIDS Day. Communities across the country come together to remember lives lost and recommit to justice. Since 1995, New Yorkers have come together for the Reading of the Names, a day-long remembrance honoring those lost to AIDS.
Where Do We Go From Here?
AIDS is not over. While it’s true that there has been a massive improvement in medical treatment and preventative care, recent cuts to both domestic and global AIDS funding will undo decades of work.
Thanks to the “Big Beautiful Bill,” the CDC is on the verge of losing funding in 2026, including $2 billion for domestic AIDS support. Similarly, the Ryan White AIDS funding remains under constant attack. Cuts to the Affordable Care Act will have devastating consequences for affordable healthcare. With the cost of insurance coverage spiking for many people, it is all but certain that the number of uninsured Americans will rise. Outside of the United States, international assistance has also been significantly reduced, which was instrumental in reducing HIV/AIDS’ impact in other countries.
Congress’s recent hemp ban could impact those in states without medical or adult-use programs, and some are concerned that cannabis policy rollbacks will not stop there. Massachusetts’ adult-use program is under threat, which would mark the first major cannabis policy rollback since Colorado and Washington state legalized in 2012.
Now is the time to act to make sure that the strides made in the fight for people with AIDS and cannabis legalization are not lost. As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, we must not forget where it came from. Recognizing the lineage from AIDS activism to today’s regulated market isn’t just about honoring history—it strengthens our commitment to a future that centers health, justice, and dignity.
This article is from an external, unpaid contributor. It does not represent High Times’ reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.
