"Each year, over 200,000 Americans are arrested on marijuana-related charges. The overwhelming majority of these arrests are for simple possession, and a disproportionate number of poor people and people of color are charged. These individuals must forever face the discrimination and lost opportunities that come with a lifelong criminal record. Our country’s outdated marijuana laws are tragic, costly, and counterproductive. It’s time to end this failed policy and legalize marijuana." — Rick Steves
Welcome to Rick Steves' 2024 campaign for the legalization of marijuana. This tool kit is designed to be a resource for the media, supporters, opposers, and undecideds to better understand how and why Rick works to end the prohibition of our age and legalize marijuana in the US.
For decades, Rick has been inspired by Europe's pragmatic approach to recreational drugs, which measures success by harm reduction rather than incarceration. In 2012, he worked to help legalize marijuana in his home state of Washington — and every two years since then, he's dedicated his time and a substantial financial contribution to help legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana wherever it's on the ballot. This year, in partnership with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), Rick is supporting ballot measures that would legalize and regulate marijuana for adults in Florida, North Dakota, and South Dakota and a ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska. Check out the resources below — and please feel free to use this material in any way you like.
To schedule an interview with Rick about his legalization work, contact [email protected].
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Short Version (71 words)
Rick Steves is a popular public television host, a best-selling guidebook author, and an outspoken activist who encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through travel. He is the founder and owner of Rick Steves' Europe, a travel business with a small-group tour program that brings more than 30,000 people to Europe annually. Rick lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.
Medium Version (203 words)
Rick Steves is a popular public television host, a best-selling guidebook author, and an outspoken activist who encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through travel. But above all else, Rick considers himself a teacher. He taught his first travel class at his college campus in the mid-1970s — and now, more than 40 years later, he still measures his success not by dollars earned, but by trips impacted.
Rick is the founder and owner of Rick Steves' Europe, a travel business with a small-group tour program that brings more than 30,000 people to Europe annually. Each year, the company contributes to a portfolio of climate-smart nonprofits, essentially paying a self-imposed carbon tax. He also supports and works closely with many advocacy groups and has been instrumental in the legalization of marijuana in states across the country.
Rick spends about four months a year in Europe, researching guidebooks, fine-tuning his tour program, filming his TV show, and making new discoveries for travelers. To recharge, he plays piano, relaxes at his family cabin in the Cascade mountains, and spends time with his son Andy and daughter Jackie. He lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.
Long version (355 words)
Rick Steves is a popular public television host, a best-selling guidebook author, and an outspoken activist who encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through travel. But above all else, Rick considers himself a teacher. He taught his first travel class at his college campus in the mid-1970s — and now, more than 40 years later, he still measures his success not by dollars earned, but by trips impacted.
Widely considered America's leading authority on European travel, Rick produces a best-selling series of guidebooks and is the author of Travel as a Political Act. He is dedicated to providing all Americans with access to travel information and has made extensive resources available for free on the Rick Steves' Europe website; via the Rick Steves Audio Europe™ app; and in Rick Steves Classroom Europe™, a searchable database of short, teachable video clips.
A longtime supporter of public broadcasting, Rick produces and hosts public television and radio shows that air across the nation.
Rick is the founder and owner of Rick Steves' Europe (RSE), a travel business with more than 100 full-time employees. RSE operates a successful small-group tour program which brings more than 30,000 people to Europe annually. The company contributes annually to a portfolio of climate-smart nonprofits, essentially paying a self-imposed carbon tax.
Rick supports and works closely with many advocacy groups and organizations whose missions fit his own, including Bread for the World. He has been a member of NORML since 2003 and has been instrumental in the legalization of marijuana in states across the country. He has also provided $9 million in funding to build two neighborhood centers in his community and donated a 24-unit apartment building for homeless women and their children to his local YWCA.
Rick spends about four months a year in Europe, researching guidebooks, fine-tuning his tour program, filming his TV show, and making new discoveries for travelers. To recharge, he plays piano, relaxes at his family cabin in the Cascade mountains, and spends time with his son Andy and daughter Jackie. He lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.
