A soon-to-be-released biography about Barack Obama is causing quite a stir thanks to numerous passages that depict his heavy marijuana use in high school. In Barack Obama: The Story, author David Maraniss claims “Barry” Obama was a part of a group of friends that called itself the Choom Gang, and every day the members would pile into a Volkswagen, roll the windows up and get high until the car filled with smoke. (“Choom” is a slang term for marijuana; inclusion into the Choom Gang was reliant on knowing this.)
The book is expected to be a bestseller, so a sequel focusing on the Choom Gang could be in the works. But if you don’t want to wait until then to find out what the four High-waiians are up to these days, look no further.
THE CHOOM GANG: Where Are They Now?
Vince “Sir Coughs-a-lot” Robins
Vince runs a recycling plant on the outskirts of Honolulu. Most locals believe the business is a mob front. Ten years ago, Vince lost a thumb in a “machinery accident.” He still smokes marijuana, along with a few other substances. He is divorced with one child.
“Dr. Dank” Danny Dixon
Danny’s decision to quit smoking pot and move on to cocaine got him kicked out of the Choom Gang. Since then, he’s spent most of his days behind bars. One afternoon in 1993, after reading more than half the Bible, Danny found faith. Upon his release, he moved to Ewa and became a youth minister. His parole is set to expire in 2025. He plans to stop smoking pot the year before. He is unmarried with no children.
Ben “Fitzy” Fitzsimmons
Fitzy was the last remaining member of the Choom Gang. He kept it going by himself for several weeks before joining the Ganja Squad. On his 30th birthday, Fitzy enlisted in the Army. He was discharged shortly after for drug-related infractions. In 2007, he opened a small dance studio in Butte, Montana. He is currently married to his third wife and has 16 children.
Barack “Barry” Obama
Barack is the leader of the free world. Arguably the most successful member of the Choom Gang, he graduated among the top of his class at both Columbia University and Harvard Law School. He served as an Illinois state senator before being elected the first black president in United States history. He has used political measures to shut down medical marijuana dispensaries, so it is unlikely that Barack still gets high (“unless Clooney’s got some decent choom”). He is married with two children.
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