:en:National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws

File:Tulsi Gabbard Don Young Erik Altieri NORML.jpg is joined by U.S. Representatives Don Young and Tulsi Gabbard at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol (2019).]]

NORML was founded in 1970 by Keith Stroup. It originally started with $5,000 in funding from the Playboy Foundation. Since then, the organization has played a central role in the cannabis decriminalization movement. At the start of the 1970s, the premier decriminalization organizations were Legalize Marijuana, better known as LeMar, and Amorphia, the two of which merged in 1971.Joshua Clark Davis. (November 6, 2014). [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joshua-clark-davis/the-long-marijuana-rights_b_6113894.html The Long Marijuana-Rights Movement.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911130717/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joshua-clark-davis/the-long-marijuana-rights_b_6113894.html |date=September 11, 2016 }} The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 3, 2016. The next year, Amorphia led the unsuccessful campaign for California's marijuana legalization initiative, Proposition 19.Joshua Clark Davis, [https://web.archive.org/web/20180106030010/http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17541328.2015.1058480 The Business of Getting High: Head Shops, Countercultural Capitalism, and the Marijuana Legalization Movement], The Sixties: A Journal of Politics, Culture and Society, Summer 2015 In 1974, Amorphia merged with NORML.

By the middle of the 1970s, Playboy owner Hugh Hefner's financial support through the Playboy Foundation set NORML apart from its predecessors, making it the premier decriminalization advocacy group. At one point, Hefner was donating $100,000 a year to NORML.

The organization has a large grassroots network with 135 chapters and over 550 lawyers. NORML holds annual conferences and Continuing Legal Education (CLE)-accredited seminars. Its board of directors has, at times, included political figures as Philip Hart, Jacob K. Javits, and Ross Mirkarimi.{{cite news |last1=Carlson |first1=Peter |title=Exhale, Stage Left |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2005/01/04/exhale-stage-left/3f4e31ff-a642-4311-b6a5-24d58107d630/ |access-date=July 25, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 4, 2005}}

In 1989, Donald Fiedler succeeded Jon Gettman as the executive director of NORML. In August 1992, Richard Cowan became executive director of NORML. Keith Stroup became executive director once again in 1995 after Cowan stepped down. In 2016, Erik Altieri was selected by the NORML Board of Directors to become the organization's 7th Executive Director. In 2021, travel writer Rick Steves became the chairman of the Board of Directors.{{Cite web|title=NORML Elects Budget Travel Guru Rick Steves as New Board President|url=https://merryjane.com/news/norml-elects-budget-travel-guru-rick-steves-as-new-board-president|access-date=2021-02-12|website=MERRY JANE|language=en}}

File:Minnesota NORML — Don't Hate, Educate, Legalize - Twin Cities Pride Parade (9179211415).jpg, Minnesota, in 2013]]

In the 2006 United States midterm elections, NORML promoted several successful local initiatives that declared marijuana enforcement to be the lowest priority for local law enforcement, freeing up police resources to combat violent and serious crime.{{cite web | url = http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3418#question5 | title = NORML: Frequently Asked Questions | publisher = National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws | access-date = April 13, 2009 | archive-date = April 16, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090416013111/http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3418#question5 | url-status = dead }}

In early 2009, a petition to President Barack Obama was written asking that he appoint a "drug czar" who would treat drug abuse as a health issue rather than a criminal issue and will move away from a "War on Drugs" paradigm. NORML's goal for this petition was 100,000 signatures.

Also in early 2009, when the Kellogg Company dropped its contract with Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps after pictures of his use of a bong surfaced in the media, head members of NORML began boycotting Kellogg products and urging all members and supporters of NORML to boycott Kellogg, until the company reversed the decision. NORML also suggested that supporters of the cause send emails or letters to Kellogg explaining the boycott and the reasons behind it, and providing a template for emails and letters. Although Kellogg's profits did not suffer in the first quarter of 2009,{{cite web |author=Scott Eden |url=http://www.thestreet.com/story/10494368/kellogg-beats-targets-despite-weaker-sales.html |title=Kellogg Beats Targets Despite Weaker Sales |publisher=TheStreet |date=April 30, 2009 |access-date=August 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606060508/http://www.thestreet.com/story/10494368/kellogg-beats-targets-despite-weaker-sales.html |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} consumer ratings polls at Vanno{{cite web |title=Kellogg - Reputation Scores |url=http://vanno.com/company/kellogg |website=vanno.com |access-date=June 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501193103/http://vanno.com/company/kellogg |archive-date=May 1, 2009 |url-status=dead}} have been cited as indicating that Kellogg's reputation has suffered. Specifically, a small poll of Kellogg's brand reputation at Vanno showed a drop from its previous rank of 9 to 83 after Kellogg decided not to renew its contract with Phelps.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/dumping-phelps-over-bong-rip-damages-kelloggs-brand-reputation-2009-2|title=Dumping Phelps Over Bong Rip Damages Kellogg's Brand Reputation|access-date=April 20, 2009 |publisher=The Business Insider|date=February 23, 2009}}{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/24/kelloggs-brand-damaged-by_n_169694.html|title=Kellogg's Brand Damaged By Dumping Michael Phelps|access-date=April 20, 2009 |newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=February 24, 2009|last1=Graham|first1=Nicholas}}

On February 15, 2010, a 15-second flash animation from NORML discussing the potential economic and financial benefit of legalized marijuana was deemed by CBS to be "too political" to display on billboards in New York City's Times Square. This drew criticism in the blogosphere and accusations of hypocrisy on Twitter, since CBS had recently aired an anti-abortion television spot during the 2010 Super Bowl.{{cite web|url=http://blog.norml.org/2010/02/15/cbs-rejects-norml-legalization-billboard-but-accepts-black-children-are-an-endangered-species-anti-abortion-billboard/#comments |title=CBS rejects NORML legalization billboard, but accepts "Black Children are an Endangered Species" anti-abortion billboard |publisher=NORML |date=February 15, 2010 |access-date=August 21, 2010}} CBS reversed its decision and the ad was debuted on the CBS Times Square Superscreen on April 20, 2010.{{cite web |url=http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=8163 |title=Foundation To Launch Second NYC Times Square Billboard Campaign New Ad Debuts On April 20 On The CBS Super Screen |publisher=NORML |access-date=August 21, 2010 |archive-date=December 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201055946/http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=8163 |url-status=dead }}

The NORML Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization{{cite web |title=The Norml Foundation {{!}} Washington, DC {{!}} Cause IQ |url=https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-norml-foundation,522021279/ |website=www.causeiq.com}} that conducts educational and research activities. Examples of the NORML Foundation's advocacy work is a detailed 2006 report, Emerging Clinical Applications For Cannabis.{{cite web | url = http://www.norml.org//index.cfm?Group_ID=7002 | title = Recent Research on Medical Marijuana | publisher = National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws | date = February 3, 2007 | access-date = April 22, 2007 }} A comprehensive report with county-by-county marijuana arrest data, Crimes of Indiscretion: Marijuana Arrest in America, was published in 2005.{{cite web | url = http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6411 | title = Crimes of Indiscretion | publisher = National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws | date = March 7, 2005 | access-date = April 22, 2007 | archive-date = June 9, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070609085720/http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6411 | url-status = dead }}

In October 1998, NORML Foundation published the NORML Report on U.S. Domestic Marijuana Production that was widely cited in the mainstream media. The report methodically estimated the value and number of cannabis plants grown in 1997, finding that Drug Enforcement Administration, state and local law enforcement agencies seized 32% of domestic cannabis plants planted that year. According to the report, "Marijuana remains the fourth largest cash crop in America despite law enforcement spending an estimated $10 billion annually to pursue efforts to outlaw the plant."{{cite web | url = http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4444 | title = NORML Report on U.S. Domestic Marijuana Production | publisher = National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws | date = March 7, 2005 | access-date = April 22, 2007 }} Recent studies show that marijuana is larger than all other cash crops combined.{{cite news |last1=Bailey |first1=Eric |title=Pot is called biggest cash crop |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-dec-18-me-pot18-story.html |access-date=July 25, 2022 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=December 18, 2006}}

In 2002, the organization used ads containing quotes by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg on his past use of cannabis, saying "You bet I did. And I enjoyed it." The mayor said "I'm not thrilled they're using my name. I suppose there's that First Amendment that gets in the way of me stopping it," but maintained that the NYPD will continue to vigorously enforce the laws.[http://www.drugwar.com/pnormlnycad.shtm NYC Mayor Bloomberg's Pot Use is NORML: Drugwar.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622034443/http://www.drugwar.com/pnormlnycad.shtm |date=June 22, 2015 }}

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• Indiana NORML
• Minnesota NORML
• Ohio NORML
• Oregon NORML
• Portland NORML
• Texas NORML
• Wisconsin NORML

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NORML international chapters:{{cite web |url=https://norml.org/about/international-chapters/|title=International Chapters }}

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• NORML Australia 1980-1992
• NORML Canada
• NORML France
• NORML Ireland
• NORML New Zealand
• Otago NORML
• NORML South Africa
• NORML UK

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{{Portal|Cannabis}}

• Legalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States
• Medical cannabis in the United States

{{Reflist|2}}

{{commons category|National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws}}

• {{Official website|http://www.norml.org/}}
• [http://www.druglibrary.org/special/anderson/highinamerica.htm High in America—The True Story Behind NORML and the Politics of Marijuana] by Patrick Anderson

{{Cannabis resources}}

{{Drug policy}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:1970 in cannabis

Category:501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations

Category:Cannabis law reform organizations based in the United States

Category:Drug policy organizations based in the United States

Category:Organizations established in 1970