Billionaires Taking Buffett Pledge Back Cannabis A Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates's initiative to get billionaires to pledge at least half their wealth to charity signed on 11 new families who support causes from science museums to access to marijuana.
The list includes Intel Corp. co-founder Gordon Moore and his wife Betty, Progressive Corp. Chairman Peter B. Lewis and Netflix Inc. Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings and his wife Patty Quillin, according to a statement today from the Giving Pledge campaign. They were joined by Manoj Bhargava, Charles R. Bronfman, Dan and Jennifer Gilbert, Jonathan M. Nelson, Jorge M. and Darlene Perez, Claire and Leonard Tow, Albert Lee Ueltschi, and Romesh and Kathleen Wadhwani.
Marijuana Laws
"If there is one area that is taboo for most philanthropists yet exemplifies disastrous public policy, it is our nation's outdated, ineffective marijuana laws," he wrote in a letter. "A majority of Americans are ready to change marijuana laws, yet we continue to arrest our young people for engaging in an activity that is utterly commonplace."
Lewis, 78, said in the letter that he used marijuana to relieve pain following the amputation of his lower leg.