Did John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his family grow cannabis?

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was one of the most respected and popular U.S. presidents. In addition to his short term in office and his tragic assassination in Dallas on November 22, 1963, the former president was also a user of medical cannabis.

Kennedy suffered from chronic back pain and Addison's disease, a rare condition characterized by adrenal gland dysfunction. This can lead to a cessation of aldosterone and cortisol secretion, with symptoms such as persistent fatigue and low blood pressure.

According to the autobiographical book John F. Kennedy: A Biography According to a 2006 publication, JFK used medical cannabis to relieve his pain while in the White House: «On the evening of July 16, 1962, according to the editor-in-chief of the newspaper *Le* Washington Post Jim Truitt, Kennedy, and Mary Meyer (his mistress at the time) smoked joints together … The president smoked three of the six joints Mary had brought him. At first, he didn’t feel the effects. Then he closed his eyes and refused to smoke a fourth one, saying, ‘Imagine if the Russians are planning something nasty right now.’ .

Did the Kennedy family grow marijuana?

Despite numerous rumors over the years, how did Kennedy obtain medical cannabis to treat his pain?

At present, there is only anecdotal evidence suggesting that the Kennedy family grew cannabis, but nothing concrete. According to the memoirs of Kathy McKeon, an assistant to the wife of the 35th^e U.S. President Jacqueline Kennedy: «The First Lady made a surprising discovery at the family’s vacation home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. She reportedly discovered a secret cannabis plantation that had sprouted among the flowers in the family garden.».

Many other topics are discussed in his book My Life with the Kennedy Family. In particular, she recounts that the late president’s cousins would regularly slip away into the garden. Katty McKeon explains, «I went to investigate after they left, but there was no visible evidence that he had been there. If the flowers weren’t trampled, what exactly were they doing? » With the help of a local police officer, she investigated these so-called «plants» and informed Jacqueline Kennedy of their discovery. JFK’s wife reportedly rushed to protect her family’s reputation immediately.

We'll never really know if John F. Kennedy's family actually grew cannabis, but one thing is certain: unlike Bill Clinton, who claimed to have smoked without inhaling the smoke, JFK did indeed smoke.

Mehdi Bautier