Celebrities are very influential people and as the world starts to embrace cannabis reform, more celebrities are publicly puffing the herb than ever before. After all, why shouldn’t a cannabis-smoking celebrity be a good role model?

The stereotypical image that has tarnished the cannabis plant’s reputation for so long is slowly fading, as the plant’s medicinal benefits are being discovered and harnessed by medical professionals worldwide.

“Short-term cannabis use in adolescence does not appear to cause IQ decline or impair executive functions, even when cannabis use reaches the level of dependence,” according to researchers from a longitudinal co-twin control study.

With that being said, the following pretty intelligent celebrities can be forgiven for enjoying the occasional stoner session.

Barack Obama

During his college days, the 44th President of the United States claims he enjoyed the occasional toke with friends.

According to the attorney and politician, he would elbow his way into the stoner circle to get a taste of the joint.

Obama has also advocated for legal weed.

“Look, I’ve been very clear about my belief that we should try to discourage substance abuse,” Obama told Rolling Stone magazine.

“And I am not somebody who believes that legalization is a panacea. But I do believe that treating this as a public health issue, the same way we do with cigarettes or alcohol, is the much smarter way to deal with it.”

Steve Jobs

A self-proclaimed lover of LSD, the co-founder of Apple Inc. experienced (and accomplished) a lot during his life. In addition to dropping a few tabs of acid from time-to-time, Jobs is rumored to have been partial to the odd cannabis edible.

In fact, the entrepreneur may have used the herb to spark creativity for his Apple projects.

“The best way I would describe the effect of the marijuana and the hashish is that it would make me relaxed and creative,” he said before he died.

Morgan Freeman

This cannabis-smoking celebrity actor was injured in a car accident back in 2008. Since this time, he has been using cannabis to relieve pain caused by nerve damage.

“My first wife got me into it many years ago … This movement is really a long time coming, and it’s getting legs – longer legs,” revealed Freeman during an interview.

In addition to acting, Freeman is also actively involved in charitable work and politics, what with the 81-year-old endorsing Obama’s candidacy for the 2008 presidential election.

Richard Branson

If weed makes you stupid, how do you explain Richard Branson’s success?

The CEO of Virgin is a self-made billionaire. He isn’t shy about his cannabis use, of which he has openly discussed with High Times interviewers on more than one occasion.

“As a vocal critic of the failed global war on drugs, I am always eager to learn from those places that are bold enough to experiment with different approaches to drug policy,” Branson writes for Virgin.

Oprah Winfrey

Although she is not a vocal cannabis advocate, it seems that the enjoys a puff of weed now and again. Her best friend Gayle King outed Oprah on the Ellen Degeneres show as a possible cannabis-smoking celebrity.

“Oprah has also smoked a little marijuana, too. I don’t mind saying that,” she told Ellen.

If this is true, the myth that “weed makes you stupid” can’t be true. Oprah is one of the world’s most influential woman and shortly after graduating college, she became the first black female news anchor in the Nashville’s WLAC-TV station’s history.