Tommy Chong seeking drug pardon from President Obama
Veteran comedian Tommy Chong is hoping to clean his criminal record with a pardon from U.S. President Barack Obama.
The stoner icon, 78, spent nine months behind bars at the Taft Correctional Institution in California in 2003 after he was charged for selling drug paraphernalia across state lines, which is a felony.
Now Chong is hoping to expunge the conviction from his record with a pardon from President Obama before he officially leaves office in January (17).
The actor launched a petition for a pardon on the official White House website, and it currently has more than 12,000 signatures. He must receive a total of 100,000 signatures for White House officials to issue a response.
Chong tells The Hollywood Reporter he has a solid shot of getting the pardon, since President Obama has issued 562 commutations over the course of his presidency, hundreds of which were low-level drug offenses much like his own.
"I think it is a very good chance because Obama has admitted to smoking pot," Chong tells the publication. "I was a celebrity bust. Authorities basically entrapped me and my company by asking that we ship bongs across state lines. So when we did made a sale, they immediately arrested me and charged me with using the post office to sell illegal paraphernalia."
Chong's bust was part of a federal investigation which attempted to trace drug traffic and users through businesses selling drug paraphernalia, mostly bongs.
Chong's Nice Dreams firm was one of 55 companies investigated, and Chong says he lost nearly $1 million as a result of the ordeal.
Chong has until 25 September (16) to reach the 100,000 signature goal, but he is staying positive that the law will be on his side this time around.
"It feels great," Chong says. "I represent a nice portion of the community which is growing, our constituency is really growing with all the legalization going on. I'm in a really good position."
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