United States: Senate candidate smokes a blunt in a campaign on the evils of prohibition

A candidate seeking to represent Louisiana in the U.S. Senate released a campaign Tuesday that puts cannabis front and center. Democrat Gary Chambers sits in an armchair in a field, smoking a blunt, and lists statistics on the evils of cannabis prohibition.

The clip is entitled « 37 Seconds« in reference to a study according to which American police make a cannabis-related arrest every 37 seconds on average.

«Blacks are four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana than whites,» says Chambers. «States waste $3.7 billion enforcing marijuana laws every year. Most of the people the police arrest aren't dealers, but rather people who have small amounts of weed, like me.»

While cannabis has not been legalized for adults in Louisiana, possession of 14 grams maximum was decriminalized last year and is now punishable by a fine of 100$. And in New Orleans, where the spot was filmed, police recently announced that they would no longer issue tickets for simple possession of cannabis. The governor also signed a bill last year allowing patients of the state's medical cannabis program to to legally smoke cannabis flowers.

«For too long, candidates have used marijuana legalization as an empty argument to appeal to progressive voters,» Chambers said in a press release. «I hope this ad works not only to destigmatize marijuana use, but also to force a new conversation that creates the path to legalize this beneficial substance, and forgive those who have been arrested because of an outdated ideology.»

My first campaign ad, ‘37 Seconds.’ #JustLikeMe

I hope this ad works to not only destigmatize the use of marijuana, but also forces a new conversation that creates the pathway to legalize this beneficial drug, and forgive those who were arrested due to outdated ideology. pic.twitter.com/G0qKvmUGKD

ADVERTISING

- Gary Chambers (@GaryChambersJr) January 18, 2022

In the press release attached to the campaign, Chambers stated that he supported the HOPE Act (Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement), a congressional bill introduced by bipartisan lawmakers last month that would encourage state and local governments to expunge cannabis-related criminal records in their jurisdictions.

It also supports the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, another bipartisan bill to protect financial institutions that provide services to legal cannabis businesses. This bill has passed the House of Representatives five times in one form or another, but is still stalled in the Senate.