The Marijuana Policy Project, the largest group in the U.S. working solely on marijuana policy reform, is set to run a massive pro-marijuana ad at a major sporting event – the first of its kind.
The MPP “envision a nation where marijuana is legally regulated similarly to alcohol, marijuana education is honest and realistic, and treatment for problem marijuana users is non-coercive and geared toward reducing harm.” And they’ve decided to target a notoriously pro-booze crowd – the NASCAR fanbase.
This Sunday, and the Brickyard 400 race in Indianapolis, the MPP will run an ad called “New Beer” on a giant screen as race fans enter the track.
Here’s what the MPP has to say about their ad:
NASCAR fans attending the 2013 Brickyard 400 races are being greeted by this ad on a jumbotron at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The spoof beer ad produced by the Marijuana Policy Project highlights the relative safety of marijuana compared to alcohol by characterizing marijuana as a “new ‘beer'” with “no calories,” “no hangovers,” and “no violence” associated with its use
The ad is pro-marijuana, but it definitely has an anti-alcohol message built in. By comparing the effects of pot to alcohol, MPP is telling beer drinkers that their cup will make them fat, violent, and miserable the next day. With marijuana, the ad argues, there is none of that.
“Marijuana: less harmful that alcohol and time to treat it that way,” says the ad in closing.
Check it out:
“We think it’s critical that the public recognize that marijuana is objectively less harmful than alcohol. We wanted to reach out to an audience that clearly appreciates that adults should be able to use beer and alcohol responsibly. They should also be able to use marijuana responsibly – since it’s less harmful,” says Mason Tvert, MPP spokesperson and creator of the ad.
It’s an interesting move going after the NASCAR crowd. Hopefully, the MPP isn’t just spinning its wheels with this one.