Tommy Chong is an iconic figure of the cannabis culture, revered and celebrated by generations of fans. Any cannabis consumer asked to name a celebrity associated with the culture would no doubt name Tommy Chong, alongside Snoop Dogg, B-Real of Cypress Hill, and Cheech & Chong.
Cheech & Chong – Photo courtesy of Chongson Inc.
But in recent years, Tommy Chong has transitioned from being a representative of the counter-culture in America, an example of resistance to the status quo, to being a full-fledged businessman, embracing the mainstreaming of marijuana and the entry of corporate behemoths into the cannabis industry. Even more so, in 2016, Tommy Chong launched his own cannabis brand, Chong’s Choice.
Because Chong has a criminal record for funding a company that sold cannabis paraphernalia (meaning pipes, bongs, and things like that), he could not be directly involved in the cannabis industry. Recognizing the value of his name in the cannabis community though, he decided to license it to a company run by his son, Paris Chong, and a partner, and Jon-Paul Cowen. They called it Chongson, Inc.
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"Chong’s Choice finds the best growers, we team them …