How Uncle Tommy Became a Citizen (Thanks, Reagan?)

You asked for the story, and boy, is it a doozy... ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­   Hey Marilyn - it's Uncle Tommy... Well, I gotta say, I'm blown away. Since mentioning the story of how I became a US citizen in one of my last emails, over a hundred of you wrote back asking to hear the whole thing. I'm touched that so many of you are interested in this old stoner's cruise into the American dream, man! So anyway, here it goes. As some of you might know, back in 2003, your Uncle Tommy had a bit of a run-in with the law. I got caught up in something called "Operation Pipe Dreams" - a fancy name for a government crackdown on selling bongs and other smoking paraphernalia online. I ended up doing a 9-month turn in federal prison.... (Oh, and if you didn't know... my cellmate during that time? None other than Jordan Belfort - yeah, the "Wolf of Wall Street" guy. He actually credits me with inspiring him to write his book. Go figure, right?) But here's the ironic thing. I only got that kind of sentence because I was already a citizen. Remember how I mentioned I came to America on a bit of an, shall we say, unconventional visa? Well for years, I was living here without official papers, trying to chase that American dream (and maybe a few other things, if you catch my drift ...). But I did become a citizen in 1986. And you know who made me an official U.S. citizen? None other than Ronald Reagan. Yeah, you heard that right - the Gipper himself. See, back in 1986, Reagan implemented this amnesty policy. It was like he woke up one day and said, "Hey, let's give all these folks a shot at becoming citizens." People forget how different the political landscape was back then, man. So there I was, Tommy Chong, walking into a courthouse, taking a test, and forking over $185 to become a bonafide American citizen. I mean, I'm pretty sure Reagan never imagined he'd be making the guy from "Up in Smoke" a citizen when he signed that law. But here's the kicker - had that not happened, I'm pretty sure I would've been deported when I got hit with that federal bust years later. Yup, that would've been a one-way ticket back to the Great White North for your Uncle Tommy. And you want to know what's even crazier? While Reagan's law made me a citizen, it was actually Joe Biden who wrote the law that eventually locked me up. I kid you not! Not to get political... But that whole Operation Pipe Dreams bust? The interstate commerce of paraphernalia act that I got caught up in? That was Biden's handiwork, man. So there you have it, Marilyn. Ronald Reagan made me a citizen, and Joe Biden put me in the slammer. If that's not the most perfectly ironic American story, I don't know what is, man. It just goes to show, life has a funny way of working out. And America? Well, I believe it's still a land of endless possibilities - both good and, frequently, not so good. But you know what? I'd still rather live here than anywhere else. Anyway, let me know what you think man. Did you know those stories about me, or is this fresh news? And hey, speaking of America, don't forget our AMERICA sale is still happening over on [GetChongCBD.com]( or [CheechandChong.com](. All you have to do is use the clever code AMERICA for 30% off your order. Keep on keepin' on, Peace and love, [Tommy Signature] Tommy Chong   [Facebook]( [Instagram]( Don't Want These Emails? All Good Man! [Unsubscribe]( Send All Love Letters & Hate Mail Here: Tommy Chong's CBD 274 S 700 W Pleasant Grove, UT 84062