Dennis Peron: Father of Medical Cannabis
Born in the Bronx in 1945, Dennis Peron served in Vietnam, where he first discovered cannabis. Returning home, he famously smuggled two pounds in his duffle bag—an act that he would later call the beginning of a “40-year career” dedicated to cannabis liberation.
From Vietnam to the Castro
Settling in San Francisco’s Castro District, Peron emerged as a counterculture icon in the 1970s. He operated what was described as a “cannabis supermarket” from his apartment, opened the Big Top Café, and joined forces with Harvey Milk to champion 1978’s Proposition W—a non-binding resolution urging an end to cannabis-related arrests. The measure passed with 56% support, though it was never enforced.
Love, Loss, and the AIDS Catalyst
In 1990, Peron’s partner, Jonathan West, died from AIDS-related complications. Cannabis had eased West’s pain during his illness, a reality that transformed Peron’s mission from political activism to compassionate healthcare. “We changed the world,” he said of the movement born from that loss. The AIDS crisis reframed cannabis in the public eye—from a symbol of rebellion to a legitimate form of medicine.
Proposition P and America’s First Dispensary
In 1991, San Francisco voters passed Proposition P with 80% support, formally urging the legalization of medical cannabis. That same year, Peron co-founded the Cannabis Buyers Club, the first public cannabis dispensary in the United States. The club offered patients safe access to flower, edibles, and a welcoming space during a time of stigma and fear.
Proposition 215: Compassion Wins
Despite repeated raids and arrests, Peron co-authored Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act. In 1996, it passed with 5.3 million votes (55.6%), making California the first state to legalize medical cannabis.
Raids, Risk, and Victory
Just days before the 1996 vote, law enforcement raided the Cannabis Buyers Club and arrested Peron. Yet the public’s support proved stronger than the crackdown—Prop 215 passed, igniting a nationwide shift that has since led to medical cannabis legalization in more than 30 states.
Activist, Advocate, and Bridge-Builder
Peron’s work united cannabis activism with LGBTQ+ advocacy under a single mission: dignity through healing. His dispensary was as much a sanctuary as it was a source of medicine, embodying his belief that policy is deeply personal.
A Full Circle Farewell
Before his death in 2018 at age 72, Peron saw victories in both causes he had championed: the legalization of medical cannabis and the recognition of same-sex marriage. He married his longtime partner, John Entwistle, in the very world they had helped to reshape.
Legacy: The Heart of a Movement
Dennis Peron was not a corporate executive or polished lobbyist—he was a rebel grower, a grieving partner, and a true believer. The multi-billion-dollar cannabis industry of today rests on the foundation laid by people like him, who risked everything so others could heal.
— nugg notes
sources:
•“America Mourns Passing of Dennis Peron, Father of Medical Marijuana” – Leafly (2018)
•“Dennis Peron, Activist Who Helped Legalize Medical Marijuana, Dies” – SFGate (2018)
•“Dennis Peron Lived Long Enough to See His Goals Met” – San Francisco Chronicle (2018)
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