Breaking Barriers, Changing Policy: Senator Connie Johnson Unfiltered

January 22, 2026

This week on Let’s Be Blunt with Montel, Montel sits down with one of the true architects of modern cannabis reform: Senator Connie Johnson.

A fourth-generation Oklahoman and trailblazing policymaker, Senator Johnson has spent more than 40 years in public service breaking barriers and driving change. She made history as the first African American woman nominated to the U.S. Senate from Oklahoma and has been a relentless champion for criminal justice reform, reproductive rights, government transparency, and expanded civic participation.

Long before cannabis reform was politically safe, Senator Johnson authored Oklahoma’s first medical cannabis legislation in 2007—work that laid the groundwork for the voter-approved program that helped make Oklahoma one of the most robust medical cannabis markets in the country. In this powerful conversation, she and Montel Williams explore the evolution of cannabis policy, the intersection of legalization and criminal justice reform, and what today’s proposed hemp regulations could mean for patients, veterans, and the industry at large.

They also dive into her advocacy for veterans reentering society, the role of education in shaping the future of cannabis, and her broader vision for equity, justice, and people-powered government.

This is a must-listen episode about courage, foresight, and what it really takes to create lasting policy change.

Policy & Reform

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