John “Sparky” Birrenbach (born May 17, 1961) is an American businessman, marketing consultant, writer, filmmaker, and marijuana rights activist. Birrenbach, who founded the Institute for Hemp, was named ''High Times'' magazine's 1993 Freedom Fighter of the Year. He was the Independent Grassroots Party's nominee for

US President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

in 1996.

Life and activism

Birrenbach, former owner of the

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

business Executive Tea and Coffee, told a reporter that he was arrested for marijuana possession in the 1980s. Birrenbach, a former

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

Corpsman who served from 1979-1985 and was honorably discharged in September, 1983, founded the Institute for Hemp in 1987, a nonprofit

industrial hemp Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial or medicinal use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest growing plants o ...

research organization. In 1990, Birrenbach applied for a permit to harvest wild hemp in Minnesota, and was denied. And, in 1991, Birrenbach applied to the

Minnesota Department of Agriculture Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is a government agency in Minnesota responsible for managing the state's food supply, natural resources, and agricultural economy. History The department began as the Minnesota State Dairy Commission in 188 ...

for a permit to grow hemp. A father of two, Birrenbach has written for ''

High Times ''High Times'' is an American monthly magazine (and cannabis brand) that advocates the legalization of cannabis as well as other counterculture ideas. The magazine was founded in 1974 by Tom Forcade.Danko, Danny"Norml Founder Retires – Exha ...

'' and ''

The Denver Post ''The Denver Post'' is a daily newspaper and website published in Denver, Colorado. As of June 2022, it has an average print circulation of 57,265. In 2016, its website received roughly six million monthly unique visitors generating more than 13 ...

''.

Political career

Birrenbach participated in a hemp festival held in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1992. In 1996, Birrenbach, known to supporters as "Hemp John," ran for

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

as a nominee of the Independent Grassroots Party, on a ticket with George McMahon for

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

. Birrenbach was a candidate in the 2000 Minnesota House of Representatives election for the Independence Party, running in District 65B. In 2019, Birrenbach was a candidate for Minnesota Senate in the District 11 special election to replace Tony Lourey, who resigned to become Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health and Human Services. Birrenbach represented the

Legal Marijuana Now Party The Legal Marijuana Now Party is a political third party in the United States. The party’s platform includes abolishing the Drug Enforcement Administration and legalizing hemp and marijuana. As of 2022, the party has ballot access in Minnes ...

, which became a major party in Minnesota on January 1, 2019.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Birrenbach, John 1961 births Living people American cannabis activists Cannabis political party politicians People convicted of cannabis offenses People from Pine City, Minnesota Writers from Minnesota