Bill Levin, 'grand poohbah' at First Church of Cannabis, to run for Indiana governor

Chris Sikich 


Indianapolis' best-known advocate for legalizing cannabis announced Monday he is running for governor as a Libertarian.

Can you guess the first subject he wanted to talk about when reached by IndyStar?

Trick question. It was education.

"We have got to tear down every structure and thought and idea we have about schools and build it all from the ground up," he said, not offering specifics. "What they got going doesn't work."

He also said he's interested in cleaning up the environment and in making government less partisan.

Upon further questioning, though, Levin confirmed he would want to legalize cannabis. And he lightly admonished a reporter who called it marijuana.

"Well, marijuana is the ugly slang term the government gave it," he said. "Its proper term is cannabis.

I personally feel that cannabis should have the same laws as dandelions and poison ivy. If we're going to send our state police into a field to destroy something, let it be poison ivy, for crying out loud. Nobody likes that."

Levin, of course, is the colorful character who in 2015 started the First Church of Cannabis in Indianapolis, ultimately but unsuccessfully contending that the state's controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act protected the use of marijuana, or as Levin says, cannabis, as a sacrament.

He calls himself "the grand poohbah" at The First Church of Cannabis, in fact. So don't call him the Rev. Levin.

 

Bill Levin blows smoke rings as he smokes a cigar at The First Church of Cannabis, Tuesday, June 23, 2015. The first service of the new church will be at noon on Wednesday, July 1, 2015. at The First Church of Cannabis, Tuesday, June 23, 2015.

Kelly Wilkinson/The Star 

Along the way, he's also become known for keeping a brightly colored peacock named Bert and for losing races for City-County Council and state representative. And he once sued a former Indianapolis police chief for referring to him as the Jim Jones of marijuana. Jones was a 1970s cult leader who instigated a mass-suicide among more than 900 of his followers in Guyana.

Indiana Libertarian Party chair Timothy Maguire said no one else is running from the party at this point. He called Levin a great guy and a staunch supporter of the party for many years. But Maguire acknowledged Levin is controversial and speculated someone else may throw their hat into the ring because of his history.

Delegates will choose the nominee at a convention in March.

"We'll have to see what the delegates think come March when we vote on it," Maguire said. "So far he’s the only candidate in the race, and I wholeheartedly welcome him into the race."

In typical Levin fashion, he announced his candidacy through a colorful message on his Facebook page, or rather more confirmed it. He had meant to send the announcement July 4, but WRTV-6 scooped him.

"Today is a day of celebration from unjust tyranny," he wrote. "That is why I choose this day to announce that I will be actively seeking the Libertarian nomination for Governor of Indiana in 2020. I Love You. Happy 4th of July!"

That's also, coincidentally, how he ends interviews and conversations. Not Happy Fourth of July, but the "I love you" part. He says the world needs more love.