MONTEL WILLIAMS

Montel Williams is one of the highest profile advocates for medical cannabis in the country. He has used medical cannabis products to effectively manage the symptoms of his Multiple Sclerosis (MS) since his diagnosis with the disease in 1999.

Williams began his professional career in the United States Marine Corps. He was the first black Marine selected to attend the Naval Academy Prep School to go to graduate from the US Naval Academy and be commissioned as a Naval Officer. He earned a degree in general engineering and a minor in international security affairs. 

Williams earned his media celebrity status as an Emmy Award winning television personality whom Americans invited into their homes for more than 17 years. Alongside his TV career, he's become an inspirational speaker, author, entrepreneur, and advocate for patients worldwide. At the height of his TV career, in 1999, Williams experienced his first symptoms of MS—a sharp and 24-hour neuropathic pain in his feet and legs. When pharmaceuticals proved ineffective, his doctor recommended medical cannabis as part of his treatment. Ever since, Williams has been using cannabis products as a medication to manage the debilitating symptoms of his MS. Williams became an early advocate of medical cannabis law reform in the US. Back when he started as an advocate, patients were being dragged out of their homes in wheelchairs by the police for using cannabis to treat their pain, and Williams was one of the few high profile voices on Capitol Hill fighting for their rights.