Gatewood Galbraith was a criminal defense lawyer and recognizable figure in Kentucky politics, beginning with his 1983 run for Agriculture Commissioner and continuing until his death in 2012. Beginning in the 1990s, Galbraith was on a seemingly endless campaign trail, running seven gubernatorial campaigns and two congressional campaigns as well as a 2003 run for Kentucky Attorney General. During his career, he ran at different times as a democrat, an independent, and a green party candidate, on a platform heavily focused on farmers rights, agricultural protections, and social justice.
Galbraith was best known, however, for his activism in promoting hemp and cannabis legalization. He was a frequent contributor to local papers such as Snitch, appeared many times in publications such as High Times magazine, and authored his own autobiography titled The Last Free Man in America. Other well-known legalization activists such as Willie Nelson, Jack Herer, and Woody Harrelson often played a part in Galbraith's campaign appearances. Galbraith was also an entrepreneur involved in hemp and agriculture-related start-ups. As an activist, Galbraith conducted legal research on the medical uses of marijuana and hemp as an agricultural product. Additionally, he pushed for marijuana rescheduling with the DEA.