Jay Cheeba is a medical marijuana grower and expert, born and raised in Colorado. His interest in plants from an early age throughout high school led him to study botany in college where he became focused on the health benefits of marijuana. In the mid-1990s he published his first research paper for the Museum of Natural History at the University of Colorado on the medical effects and benefits of cannabis. He led several major studies on the subject and graduated with honors. He was a pioneer for the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and went on to earn his PhD in horticulture from Colorado State University.
By the late 1990’s, Cheeba had become very active in campaigning for the legalization of marijuana in Colorado. His campaign endeavors amounted to success when he saw Colorado pass its first cannabis law in November 2000, adding Amendment 20 to the constitution of the state which legalized medical marijuana for patients and their caregivers. By this time, Cheeba had just earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Botany and was among the first medical marijuana supporters to open a discreet dispensary to provide patients with the help they needed.
When the Health Department tried to end the commercial distribution of medical marijuana, Cheeba joined Sensible Colorado as one of the founders in 2004 and the team brought the issue to court. In 2007, Sensible Colorado won the case, suing the state over the arbitrary policies they were trying to put in place. Cheeba continued to remain active in his campaigns for medical marijuana while pursuing his PhD.
In November of 2012, Amendment 64 was passed, which legalized the commercial cultivation, manufacture, and sale of cannabis in Colorado. Armed with his Doctorate Degree in Horticulture, Cheeba moved from Fort Collins to Boulder in late 2013, just in time to welcome the new year of 2014 by opening his first medical marijuana dispensary in the city.
Cheeba is now the author of several informative medical marijuana and cannabis cultivation books, and is running one of the largest and most successful cannabis farms and medical marijuana dispensaries in the state where he leads research studies to help the medical field progress and evolve.