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Peter Lewis, chairman of Progressive Insurance, died on Saturday afternoon at his home in Coconut Grove Florida apparently due to natural causes. He had just celebrated his 80th birthday on November 11. Lewis was probably the country's most high-profile billionaire backer of drug law reform. During the November 2012 election, he spent almost $3 million helping secure the passage of marijuana legalization bills in both Washington state and Massachusetts.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws estimated that Lewis had spent well over $40 million funding the cause since the 1980s. "Our marijuana laws are outdated, ineffective and stupid," Lewis told Forbes in a 2011 interview. "I am a progressive by birth, by nature, by philosophy–that's the name of the insurance company I ran as well, which is coincidental–but I am a small 'p' progressive. I don't believe that laws against things that people do regularly, like safe and responsible use of marijuana, make any sense. "
Lewis also had a personal reason for publicly backing marijuana. The Ohio native, who says he first tried marijuana at age 39, used the drug to combat pain from a partial amputation he had at age 64 on his left leg due to an incurable infection. A Princeton grad, he started out as an underwriter at Progressive, which his father founded, in 1955. He took over 10 years later and remained CEO until 2000. At the time of his death, his net worth was over $1.3 billion, the majority of which was tied up in Progressive's stock.
Lewis joined the Giving Pledge in 2012, signing off his letter to Bill Gates and Warren Buffett with: "Take care of yourselves. Stay well and happy. Joy, Love and Peace." An art enthusiast, Lewis owned 6,500 pieces of art. He had donated $100 million to Princeton's arts programs and last year announced a $5 million gift to the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2012, his first big donation toward his city's revitalization in ten years. The Daily Princentonian said that Lewis donated hundreds of millions to Princeton during his lifetime and had several buildings including the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics named after him.
According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Lewis is survived by Rosel and by his brother, Daniel Lewis, of Coconut Grove; daughter Ivy Lewis, of Princeton, N.J.; sons Adam Joseph Lewis, of Aspen, Col. and Jonathan Lewis of Coconut Grove; his ex-wife, Toby Devan Lewis; and five grandchildren.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Forbes.com
Author: Clare O'Connor
Contact: Contact Information - Forbes
Website: Billionaire Peter Lewis, Advocate Of Marijuana Legalization, Dies At 80 - Forbes
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws estimated that Lewis had spent well over $40 million funding the cause since the 1980s. "Our marijuana laws are outdated, ineffective and stupid," Lewis told Forbes in a 2011 interview. "I am a progressive by birth, by nature, by philosophy–that's the name of the insurance company I ran as well, which is coincidental–but I am a small 'p' progressive. I don't believe that laws against things that people do regularly, like safe and responsible use of marijuana, make any sense. "
Lewis also had a personal reason for publicly backing marijuana. The Ohio native, who says he first tried marijuana at age 39, used the drug to combat pain from a partial amputation he had at age 64 on his left leg due to an incurable infection. A Princeton grad, he started out as an underwriter at Progressive, which his father founded, in 1955. He took over 10 years later and remained CEO until 2000. At the time of his death, his net worth was over $1.3 billion, the majority of which was tied up in Progressive's stock.
Lewis joined the Giving Pledge in 2012, signing off his letter to Bill Gates and Warren Buffett with: "Take care of yourselves. Stay well and happy. Joy, Love and Peace." An art enthusiast, Lewis owned 6,500 pieces of art. He had donated $100 million to Princeton's arts programs and last year announced a $5 million gift to the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2012, his first big donation toward his city's revitalization in ten years. The Daily Princentonian said that Lewis donated hundreds of millions to Princeton during his lifetime and had several buildings including the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics named after him.
According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Lewis is survived by Rosel and by his brother, Daniel Lewis, of Coconut Grove; daughter Ivy Lewis, of Princeton, N.J.; sons Adam Joseph Lewis, of Aspen, Col. and Jonathan Lewis of Coconut Grove; his ex-wife, Toby Devan Lewis; and five grandchildren.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Forbes.com
Author: Clare O'Connor
Contact: Contact Information - Forbes
Website: Billionaire Peter Lewis, Advocate Of Marijuana Legalization, Dies At 80 - Forbes
We need more guys like him advocating legalization. Money talks, as they say.
