Theresa Yarbrough – The Marijuana Crusader
Theresa is a fearless and passionate activist who has been fighting for cannabis legalization in Georgia for over 40 years. She was inspired by the civil rights movement as a young runaway in the late 60’s, when she saw the injustice of marijuana prohibition on the streets of Atlanta.
She joined the board of Georgia NORML in the mid 80’s and worked with legendary Georgia activist James Bell. Together, with the assistance of Paul Cornwell they organized the largest cannabis music festival in the country at the time, the Great Atlanta Pot Festival, featuring the Black Crowes and attracting 70 thousand cannabis lovers to Piedmont Park.
James Bell was later arrested and imprisoned for his cannabis activism. Theresa became the president of Georgia NORML in 1993, but left the organization in 1994, after National NORML failed to back her up in a legal dispute over the ownership of the GAPF.
Theresa made history in 1992, when she ran for State Senate in Georgia’s District 31 on an in-your-face pro-cannabis platform, becoming the first candidate in Georgia to do so. She faced fierce opposition and was arrested shortly after the election for her bold activism. She was charged with possession and distribution of marijuana and exiled from District 31, making her one of the many Georgia drug felons who were later denied access to medical marijuana.
She did not give up on her mission and founded the Georgia Cannabis Industry Alliance, the state’s leading cannabis trade organization. She uses this platform to advocate for cannabis freedom, social justice, and equity in the legal cannabis industry.
She has built strong relationships with some of the most successful cannabis businesses and leaders in Georgia, including Sweetwater Brew. She, Christopher Raley and Edward Muldrow, has also been instrumental in pushing for H.R. 281, a bill that would allow Georgia voters to decide on adult use legalization and home cultivation in the November ballot, introduced by Representative David Clark in 2021.
Theresa is also a successful entrepreneur and music lover. She owns Bitchin’ Entertainment, a music company where she books artists for the William Morris Agency, Monterey Pop, and more. She is co-owner of the ‘Georgia 420 Hour’ podcast, where she shares her insights and stories on cannabis culture.
