There is no confirmed scientific link between success and cannabis use - but Paula Bennett claims she's never met a successful person who had smoked weed every day.
Ms Bennett was appointed the National Spokesperson for Drug Reform on Tuesday, and appeared on the AM Show on Wednesday morning to discuss the role and her opinions on the legalisation of cannabis.
"I'm yet to meet someone who's incredibly successful and having a great life that smokes dope every day," she told host Duncan Garner.
Hundreds of celebrities and successful people in the world have used or currently use marijuana, but multiple studies from all over the world still argue whether success is related to cannabis use.
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A report released in 2017 by a Californian research firm said that cannabis smokers made up a higher percentage of master's degree holders than non-smokers, but a study completed by a UK college said there could be a link between smoking grass and decreased levels of dopamine in the brain, which could lead to lack of motivation.
Newshub has compiled a list of just five of the celebrities who have smoked weed and retained their success.
1. Elon Musk
With a net worth of NZ$31 billion, it's hard to argue Musk's success.
During the filming of a podcast last year, the Tesla head took a puff of a joint that was handed to him, prompting outrage from some who said it was irresponsible for him to have smoked pot so publicly.
2. Lady Gaga
Gaga has said in past that her struggles with a condition called fibromyalgia are helped with cannabis use.
In 2011 she said she often smokes weed when writing music, claiming it helps to stimulate her creative process.
Her net worth is approximately NZ$443 million.
3. Alice Snedden
The New Zealand comedian has said that in past she took a bucket bong down to a local river to get high, in fact, an episode of her web series focused on marijuana and its consumption.
Snedden posted a promo of the episode to Facebook last year with the caption "It's 420 babaaay! So watch this dope ep and light up!"
4. Barack Obama
The former president of the United States was revealed in a friend's biography for apparently smoking a lot of pot as a teenager.
David Maraniss, one of Obama's friends from school said he was part of a group that would regularly light up "some sweet-sticky Hawaiian buds".
5. Snoop Dogg
The 47-year-old 'Smoke Weed Every Day' hitmaker is known for… well smoking weed.
He has sold over 35 million albums worldwide since his career began, and has a net worth of NZ$200 million.
Snoop Dogg took a hiatus from smoking weed in 2002 but by 2013 claimed he was smoking approximately 80 blunts a day.
Aside from the recreational use of marijuana, celebrities such as Michael J Fox and Morgan Freeman have backed the drug for its medicinal properties.
The New Zealand Government has announced that there will be a referendum on the legalisation of cannabis at the 2020 election.
The case for the legalisation of medicinal cannabis has been growing in the past few years in New Zealand, with the first licences to grow cannabis plants already granted for testing purposes.
Newshub.
