John Belushi has gone down in history as a comedy and entertainment legend, as one of the original seven Saturday Night Live cast members and starring in iconic films like Animal House and The Blues Brothers. He tragically passed at just 33 in the early ‘80s, but his legacy lives on—both in the myriad shows and films he contributed to alongside the cannabis brand, Belushi’s Farm, run by his brother and fellow actor and comedian Jim Belushi.
According to Belushi, the company was formed as a “gateway to healing,” as the actor describes the farmland and its cannabis having opened his heart “to even more compassion and empathy to people struggling in this world.”
The farm is located on 93 acres along the Rogue River in Oregon. It started with just 48 plants in 2015, when the state only offered medical cannabis, though Belushi remained a strong advocate for adult-use cannabis legalization and reform.
“Whether it’s an opiate addict, a veteran with PTSD, a grandmother who is suffering from cancer, nine to fivers who suffer from headaches, sleepless nights, anxiety or pain, or a mother and a father who traumatically suffer through their child’s seizures, one after another,” he says.
Belushi has a number of major credits to his name as well, having starred in “According to Jim” for eight years throughout the 2000s, bringing his talents to “Saturday Night Live” from 1983 to 1985 and starring in dozens of movies and TV since.
Belushi also recently wrapped the third season of his Discovery Network reality show, “Growing Belushi,” which recently premiered and documents his new endeavor as a cannabis farmer. All the while, his cannabis business appears to be booming as the Oregon farm has expanded from a single in-state license to selling products in more than a dozen states across the country.
Earlier this month, Belushi found himself in Cecil County, Maryland to celebrate the launch of his cannabis brand in the state through a partnership with Warwick-based SunMed growers. He visited his local business partners last week as part of the promotional tour celebrating the expansion, Cecil Whig reports.
Maryland is a bustling new market, as voters only just approved a referendum to legalize adult-use cannabis in 2022. Sales began last summer, with residents immediately flocking to dispensaries to take advantage of the state’s new market.
Belushi spent about five hours with his collaborators at SunMed Growers during the stop, a licensed grower and processor with about 200 employees. The company processes and distributes a variety of types and brands of cannabis to state-regulated dispensaries throughout Maryland.
“He was down to earth,” said Paul Quill, director of sales and security at SunMed. “He talked to every employee and thanked them for their hard work. He shook hands. He signed autographs. Mr. Belushi is very knowledgeable.”
Quill also noted that Belushi spent ample time talking business, plants, genetics and processing details with SunMed President Jacob Van Wingerden.
Belushi continued his tour with a visit to Nature’s Care and Wellness, founded and owned by Bobby Windsor, which is now selling his company’s products. Similarly, he took ample time to chat with employees and customers, signed autographs and posed for photos. He then made his way to Grounded Coffee, also owned by Windsor, and spent around two hours interacting with dozens of people waiting to meet him.
Some attendees received Belushi products as gifts, including flower, pre-rolls and merch. While a love for his work as an entertainer was a clear trend, attendees also touted their love for Belushi’s Farm products.
Quill explained that the partnership first began last year, citing Belushi’s celebrity and high-profile cannabis involvement, along with his ongoing reality show, as attractive attributes for SunMed.
“Our collaboration with Belushi’s Farm symbolizes more than just the strength and maturation of Maryland’s market,” Van Wingerden said. “For me and Jim, it is a testament to our shared commitment to innovation, quality, social responsibility and the healing power of cannabis.”
It appears that Ohio is the next target for Belushi’s Farm, as the website’s drop-down “Find Us” menu includes a tab titled, “Ohio – Coming Soon.”
