According to numerous reports, Nixon, the president who started the war on drugs, and who made cannabis a schedule 1 drug, smuggled three pounds of the “Devil’s Lettuce” into the United States for acclaimed entertainer Louis Armstrong.
According to the book Nixon’s Secrets: The Rise, Fall and Unknown Truth About the President, Watergate and the Pardon by Roger Stone, this is what allegedly happened:
Famed Jazz musician Louis Armstrong was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador by the U.S. State Department in the late 1950s. While serving in that capacity, he toured Asia and Europe playing concerts and sampling the finest “gage” (a street term for marijuana used by many musicians and artists) from around the world. It has been stated that Armstong was a connoisseur of cannabis. As a matter of fact, he was one of the first celebrities to be arrested for smoking it.
Armstrong and his entourage finished two tours and soon became aware that the status of Goodwill Ambassador allowed Armstrong to go through customs without being searched or declaring property. Apparently, he realized he could bring back a personal stash.
In 1958, the musician and his group completed a third tour and returned home to Idlewild Airport in New York. However, this time, Armstrong had three pounds of marijuana in his bag.
Unfortunately, that same day, U.S. Customs had received a tip to be on high alert for smugglers. Consequently, Armstrong and his crew were sent to the customs line to be searched like everyone else. Armstrong waited for what he thought would be his arrest.
Then-Vice President Richard M. Nixon happened to be at the airport that fateful day. When he found out Armstrong was there he seized the opportunity for a photo op with the Goodwill Ambassador and subsequently approached him.
Armstrong greeted the Vice President, “Well, Pops” (Armstrong called everyone Pops) “I just came back from my Goodwill Ambassador’s tour of Asia and they told me I had to stand in this line for customs.”
Upon hearing this, Nixon grabbed both of Armstrong’s suitcases. “Ambassadors don’t have to go through customs and the Vice President of the United States will gladly carry your bags for you,” he proclaimed.
Of course, being the Vice President, Nixon then promptly passed through customs, without any search. He nonchalantly placed the bags on the other side for Armstrong, not knowing he had just unwittingly smuggled three pounds of cannabis into the country.
After being apprised of the situation years later, Nixon’s response was simply, “Louis smokes marijuana?”
