partner with brands and Belushi ’ s Farm aligned best with who we are and how we grow ,” explains Klein . But that ’ s not the sole reason for bringing Belushi ’ s Farm and Blues Brothers to Missouri . Ask anyone who grew up in the 70s and 80s just who their favorite comedian is ; undoubtedly , Jim and John Belushi ’ s names will come up .
“ It was SNL for me . That is what I initially saw them . The Belushi brothers were why you watched ,” says Klein . “ When I was young and growing up in Carrollton , we didn ’ t have a movie theater , and SNL was the only access to contemporary comedy back then .”
Klein reflects a common sentiment of many C4 customers and patients across Missouri . With a roster of iconic films , including Animal House and Blues Brothers starring John , and K-9 , Little Shop of Horrors , and Once Upon a Crime starring Jim , the Belushis solidified their respective places in the lexicon of physical comedy with deadpan delivery . They played a variety of characters that most audiences resonated with . Both Jim and John ’ s anthem roles express a sort of idealistic and unbridled debauchery we all wished we could express without judgment .
But after minutes of reflecting on our favorite characters and lines delivered by the Belushis , the room becomes inevitably heavier as both Klein and I glance down with a thousand-yard stare . Without fail , any mention of John Belushi musters a mischievous expression as one replays his character highlights in their mind , immediately followed by the sentiment that he was gone too soon .
John Belushi ’ s legacy is the modern-day blueprint of the “ American Dream ,” for better or worse . As fast as John Belushi ’ s star rose , his life was cut short just as quickly by a drug overdose at the age of 33 . The American Dream of making a name for yourself with hard work , skill , and determination was soiled by the unfortunate stereotypical Hollywood machine . John Belushi found himself in the throes of addiction , trying to keep up with the pace of the industry .
“ My brother would still be alive today if he had access to legal cannabis at the time ,” Jim Belushi expresses in almost every interview he does today . Jim , who has continued to have a distinguished acting career , has put his family ’ s fingerprint on the American marijuana industry through his Oregon-based cannabis brands .
“ I think Jim has been very vocal on how many people have died from the opiate crisis . Cannabis is a medicine . It ’ s an easy , gentle medicine , and it doesn ’ t kill ,” Gregg Steinberg , CEO of Belushi ’ s Farm , tells me on the phone through the background din of the recent MJBiz conference in Las Vegas .
Steinberg and I go on to discuss the impact of the opioid crisis , fentanyl deaths , and replacing prescription opioids prescribed to veterans with cannabis . With one in 47 deaths in Missouri in 2023 ( from Missouri DHSS data ) due to opioid addiction and fentanyl-laced drugs , it ’ s a much-needed discourse .
Experienced cannabis enthusiasts know very well Jim Belushi ’ s North Star , marijuana as medicine , and are well aware of the impact that he has made on the industry . The three-season reality TV show “ Growing Belushi ,” from the Discovery Channel , has become the unofficial guide to growing . Detailing just what can go wrong and just how much has to go right to run cultivation , Jim Belushi and his team of entertaining experts delve into the weeds of the industry and educate the viewer along the way .
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Medical decisions should not be made based on advertising . Consult a physician on the benefits and risks of particular medical marijuana products .
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