Investing in California Marijuana

At age 36, Sean Parker boasts a net worth of $2.4 billion.

Armed with a high school diploma and an entrepreneurial gift most folks would kill for, Parker made most of his fortune at age 24 — when he became the president of Facebook (NASDAQ: FB).

He’s also one of the guys responsible for Napster — the fastest-growing business ever.

In one year’s time, this free music-sharing service drew tens of millions of users into its vortex of music lovers who didn’t much care about property rights and quickly decided for the world that it’s completely acceptable to steal.

Right or wrong, Napster can easily be credited for launching a new paradigm in the music business where record companies are mostly irrelevant and iTunes and Spotify are the gatekeepers of sound.

But I’m not writing about Sean Parker today to talk about how he made his money. I’m writing about Sean Parker to talk about where he’s investing his money right now.

One Million Marijuana Dollars

Last year, Sean Parker launched the Parker Foundation, which is a philanthropic organization focused on life sciences, global public health, and civic engagement.

Basically, he’s doing good things with his money.

He’s donated $4.5 million to support the Malaria Elimination Initiative, he’s pledged $24 million to create an allergy research facility at Stanford, and he pledged another $5 million to cancer research.

But his latest round of donations seems to have surprised a few people.

Check this out…

On February 3, Sean Parker donated $250,000 — through the Sean Parker Foundation — to the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, which would effectively legalize recreational marijuana for adults in the state of California.

Now, here’s the interesting part…

Parker’s most recent donation is not his first to this initiative. In fact, this latest $250,000 puts his total donations at $1 million.

So the question is: Why would this young billionaire plow $1 million into this campaign? Or better yet, why would he do it through his foundation?

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Parker hasn’t actually said why he’s doing this, although I have a hunch.

First, Parker is looking to making a socially responsible investment. This is why he’s doing it through his foundation.

You see, any investment into marijuana legalization is an ethical and moral investment, as it can help dismantle the war on drugs — one of the worst and most violent wars ever. As well, it can help sick people finally get the medicine they need to live normal and healthy lives, without being hauled off to jail.

It is honorable to invest in the end of marijuana prohibition, and for this reason I find Parker’s motives to be honorable as well. That being said, this guy’s also a smart businessman, and I suspect he’s putting himself in a position to reap the rewards that will ultimately come from legalization in California.

Where Billionaires Invest

While the state of Colorado has made a fortune in legal marijuana sales — $996 million in 2015 alone — the smart money is now on California.

It’s the eighth-largest economy in the world and, according to the state’s Department of Finance, could pull in $1 billion a year in tax revenue from legalized recreational and medical marijuana. Although medical marijuana is already legal in the Golden State, it’s the recreational side of things that could really tip the scales.

Now, while I don’t doubt Parker’s commitment to this socially responsible investment, I’d be surprised if he wasn’t looking to get a piece of this action, too. I know I am.

Sean Parker knows how to make a lot of money. Do you?

To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth…

Jeff Siegel

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Jeff is the founder and managing editor of Green Chip Stocks. For more on Jeff, go to his editor’s page.