Kristen Doute fired back at critics on Twitter after she tweeted her disdain for medical marijuana laws in Idaho. In the early hours of the morning on June 29, the author, 37, tweeted, “Idaho. Time to change your Medical Marijuana laws. This country has much more important things to focus on. I’m so grossed out.” Many Twitter users slammed Kristen for speaking out about a topic she “knows nothing about,” and also noted that she should focus on her career after she was fired from Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules in early June.
“I understand a handful of you feel I don’t have a ‘right’ to speak out about anything at all. Please click unfollow,” she wrote in a follow-up tweet on Monday. “I hope you’ll then use that same passion and find words to help someone, fight against something and make a change.”
I understand a handful of you feel I don’t have a “right” to speak out about anything at all.
Please click unfollow.
I hope you’ll then use that same passion and find words to help someone, fight against something and make a change.
🙏🏽❤️
— kristen doute 🦒🤟🏽 (@kristendoute) June 29, 2020
Idaho.
Time to change your Medical Marijuana laws.
This country has much more important things to focus on. I’m so grossed out. 😔
— kristen doute 🦒🤟🏽 (@kristendoute) June 29, 2020
Kristen later revealed that her brother, who deals with Crohn’s disease (an inflammatory bowel disease), currently lives in Idaho and is affected by the state’s lack of medical marijuana laws. Currently, Idaho remains the only state in the country without any kind of law recognizing the medical benefits of cannabis.
“My younger brother lives in Idaho. Soldier. Crohn’s. Prefers not to be medicated with opiates,” Kristen tweeted in response to a critic, who pointed out that she doesn’t reside in the state of Idaho. She continued, “[Think before you speak] and when you do, please speak with kindness. You don’t always know people as you think you do and don’t know what other people are going through.”
My younger brother lives in Idaho. Soldier. Crohns. Prefers not to be medicated with opiates.
Speak before you think and when you do, please speak with kindness. You don’t always know people as you think you do and don’t know what other people are going through. https://t.co/iDclbCk0W9
— kristen doute 🦒🤟🏽 (@kristendoute) June 29, 2020
Kristen went on to answer tweets from Twitter users that weighed in on the topic of medical marijuana and marijuana laws in certain states. She responded, “I couldn’t agree more,” to one particular social media user who took issue with marijuana laws in Georgia.
“Many states including Georgia need to change the laws on Marijuana. Its fine to prescribe oxycodone, Vicodin, Percocet, hydrocodone, Fentanyl patches etc… but it’s still against the law to quit taking these drugs and switch to Marijuana for pain relief,” the Twitter user wrote, adding, “UNFORGIVABLE GEORGIA!!!”
Other Twitter users expressed that Kristen’s tweets came out of the blue amid her Vanderpump Rules firing scandal.
Kristen and VPR alum Stassi Schroeder came under fire in early June after Faith Stowers — their former costar on VPR — revealed, via an Instagram Live chat, that the ladies falsely reported her to the police in 2018 for a crime she didn’t commit. Faith’s allegation came on June 1 when she joined Floribama Shore star Candace Rice for a candid chat, in which she opened up about what it was like being “the only black person” on VPR. Kristen and Stassi both released separate, public apologies following the firings.
The VPR cast shakeup occurred on June 9 when Bravo made the decision to part ways with Stassi and Kristen, along with newcomers, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni. The two men, who have since publicly apologized, were let go after past tweets using racial slurs resurfaced. The network confirmed the firings to HollywoodLife in a statement on June 9. Kristen and Stassi were full time cast members on VPR since its inception in 2013. Max and Brett joined the show in season 8, which wrapped at the end of May.