Biographical
Data on Richard Cowan
Education:
Grades K-12 Fort Worth, Texas, Public Schools 1945-1958 Bachelor of Arts in Economics: Yale University, 1962 (I was President of the Yale Young Republicans; Chairman of the Party of the
Right in the Yale Political Union; Founding member of Young Americans for Freedom; etc. My
political philosophy has not changed, but my political awareness certainly has. I found
out that not everyone who talks about freedom and limited government really means it.) Business background: 1962-1992 Various management positions in manufacturing and natural resources. Duties
included all aspects of corporate management, finance, and due diligence for investments
in a variety of areas, including alternative medicine. (This latter activity gave me an
insight into some of the problems confronting medical marijuana. Not every closed mind is
found in the DEA.) Writing and speaking on public affairs, 1972-present. December 6, 1972 National Review Cover Article "Why Conservatives
Should Support the Legalization of Marijuana." In his book Smoke and Mirrors, Dan Baum said that this article
"opened a second front in the War on Drugs." Time Magazine even carried
a story about the article. (marijuananews.com
was launched on the twenty-fifth anniversary of this article. I am nothing if not
determined.) December 5, 1986 National Review Cover Article: "How the Narcs Created Crack."
This article has been cited in various scholarly journals as the origin of the economics
of contraband, "The Iron Law of Prohibition: the harder the enforcement, the harder
the drugs." Writings on other subjects have appeared in a variety of newspapers and other
publications, including the Atlantic Monthly. Television appearances include interviews on numerous news programs, including
CNN, and a variety of talk shows including Posner/Donahue. From February to September, 1997, founding editor of The
Medical Marijuana Magazine, www.marijuanamagazine.com, an online publication.
Much of the original content of this site, was adapted from there. It is published by the
well known author and medical marijuana user, Peter McWilliams, and is worth visiting just
to see the great graphics on the Home Page. August 1992 - August 1995: National Director of NORML, The National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws. Currently: Member of the Advisory Board of the Drug Policy Foundation. Senior Policy Advisor to NORML. Editor and Publisher,
Date of birth: June 26, 1940
Religion: Quaker by convincement. (I was born a Texan.)
One more personal note:
Prior to my becoming the National Director of NORML I had always been a very private person, the sort that stepped to one side when someone was taking a picture. I went from that to saying on national television -- in response to a question by Phil Donahue -- that I had smoked marijuana almost everyday for --then -- 27 years. (Now 30, and still counting.)
The reaction to that was, to say the least, amusing. You may judge for yourself the state of my intellect, but it is important to note that I was an adult (27) when I started -- and I take care to use it responsibly -- and I am not stoned as I write this. (Would people have reacted in the same way, if I had said that I have a glass of wine every evening? Think about it.)
And there was more, much more, but never mind.... because, again, this is by me, not about me.
I was always taught to minimize the use of the first person singular. When I was at NORML, this was easy. For one thing, I depended entirely on Allen St. Pierre. Although marijuananews.com is very much a first person singular activity, I hope all the more that you -- the reader -- will get involved by writing me and keeping me informed about what is going on around the world, especially what is not reported in the establishment media.