Snoop Dogg at the 2024 Olympics: A Victory Against Cannabis Stigma

Snoop Dogg has been unexpectedly present at this year’s Olympic games. 

Since the games started, he’s been everywhere: doing press interviews, on the sidelines for every American athlete from Caeleb Dressel to Nyjah Huston – even swimming with Michael Phelps, 28-time Olympic medalist and 2008’s most controversial cannabis user. 

But a lot has changed since Michael Phelps hit the pipe seen ‘round the world – and subsequently endured suspensions, scrutiny, and the loss of a major sponsorship.

Sixteen years and four Summer Olympics later, one of the biggest stoners on the globe is a fixture in the games. From bearing the torch at the opening ceremonies to lending his commentary across a variety of sports, Snoop Dogg’s presence at the Paris 2024 Olympics has been impossible to miss. 

And while DJ Snoopadelic has been on his best behavior – with no explicit references to his herb-related extracurriculars – America’s choice to allow one of our country’s most iconic potheads to represent us on a global stage is nothing short of groundbreaking. In fact, his presence at the Olympics symbolizes not just a personal triumph for Snoop, but also a cultural shift towards a broader acceptance of cannabis – and, by extension, cannabis users. 

Long before he became a beloved figure at the Paris Olympics, Snoop was making waves with his casual, uncensored love of weed. Despite debuting at the height of D.A.R.E. programming, Snoop has never kept his affinity for the plant a secret. (In fact, his first album “Doggystyle,” sometimes acts as a love letter to the plant and stands in the extensive hall of fame of hip-hop albums that have widely normalized cannabis use.)

His candidness has not only fueled his persona but also, over time, has played a pivotal role in shifting toward a more open dialogue around cannabis. On an individual level, Snoop Dogg has both helped to shape the image of the “typical stoner” – and redefine how daily cannabis users are perceived in the mainstream. 

He stands as perhaps the best argument against the lazy stoner stigma – after all, Snoop is almost better known now for his side quests than his hip-hop catalog. At this point, he’s almost everywhere: on the screen with Martha Stewart, as a playable operator in multiple iterations of Call of Duty, the subject of hundreds of memes, (allegedly) purchasing famed soul food restaurants out of bankruptcy. 

He’s woven himself into the fabric of modern American culture in a way that cannot be ripped out. And on a widespread level, Americans love it. 

And yet, despite casting himself in a variety of roles, many of which do not relate to cannabis, one of his most recent side quests during which he claimed he was “giving up the smoke” created the biggest waves, launching mass conversation and shock across the nation. While this claim was an ingenious advertising campaign for his smokeless fire pit, his stunt made one thing clear: cannabis is still a crucial part of Snoop’s identity and, in turn, his celebrity persona. (And — most Snoop fans were relieved when he revealed it was just a marketing ploy). 

That’s why it’s so meaningful that America is embracing Snoop Dogg at the Paris Olympics as the nation’s “ambassador of happiness.” Not only are notable American athletes from Coco Gauff to Simone Biles showing love for Snoop in all his authentic perma-fried glory, but social media has erupted in wholesome support of his involvement with this summer’s games. 

Right now, America is being represented on a global scale by a hugely successful and highly candid cannabis user. And right now, most of America seems content with that representation. 

Snoop Dogg’s presence at the 2024 Olympics is more than just a celebrity sighting — it’s a cultural milestone. It’s not just a disruption of outdated stereotypes – it’s a normalization and celebration of “typical stoner” attributes. It’s a tangible representation that while change may seem slow, the stigma is not what it used to be. In fact, it’s disproven more and more each day. 

Perhaps the 2024 Olympics will be remembered not just for its athletic achievements but for this bold shift in the narrative, with Snoop Dogg leading the way as an ambassador of not just happiness but progress.