Metro ad for Marijuana miffs lawmaker.

An Oklahoma lawmaker is seeking to to slice $92,500 from the federal government's annual payment to Metro because he is angry that the transit agency accepted advertising from a nonprofit group that wants to decriminalize marijuana.

The ad (read more to see it) shows a man carrying his blond girlfriend on a beach, with he caption: "Enjoy better sex! Legalize and Tax Marijuana."

Rep. Ernest J. Istook Jr called the ad "shocking" and said the Metro had "exercised the poorest possible judgment, so I must assure that [Metro] will learn the proper lessons from this experience and will only accept appropriate ads in the future."
Istook's proposal would cut twice that amount from Metro's budget "as a warning to other transit agencies."

Change the climate

The Washington Post reports.

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AnonymousCoward's picture

ask. can i come live with you? this place is getting scary.

caffeinegoddess's picture

Is it just me or does it look like a tidal wave is about to take the couple out?
This ad is pretty sad. If you're going to talk about taxing marijuana, how about discussing how that same money could go to help with education, infrastructure, and a mulititude of other things that desparately need funding. "Enjoy better sex" is just too "spammy" of a headline. (yah- I'm creating new adjectives). Easily glossed over and missed.

Dabitch's picture

sure, I'll keep the beer cold for ya, just come on down. bring the cats.

AnonymousCoward's picture

I wish i could get this job.

yaksox's picture

Hehe. I was going to say - is it just me or does that photo look realy 70s cigarette ad.?
Maybe it makes more sense once you're toasted.

Dabitch's picture

I bet ten bucks you could make a better campaign too. Not that I'm saying I this one sucked.. or anything.. heh. ;))

Dabitch's picture

you can get that ad on a t-shirt at changetheclimate.com

Oh, and the good news is; stopthedrugwar reports that the law used to stop the ad was declared unconstitutional.

But US District Court Judge Paul Friedman ruled that Istook's law violates the First Amendment by infringing on the free speech rights of Change the Climate. "Just as Congress could not permit advertisements calling for the recall of a sitting mayor or governor while prohibiting advertisements supporting retention, it cannot prohibit advertisements supporting legalization of a controlled substance while permitting those that support tougher drug sentences," wrote Friedman. "The government has articulated no legitimate state interest in the suppression of this particular speech other than the fact that it disapproves of the message, an illegitimate and constitutionally impermissible reason."

"I'm delighted with the ruling," said Joseph White, the Massachusetts-based businessman who founded Change the Climate. "Now, we can continue to advertise our message about marijuana reform on transit systems and billboards, and now we can do that in every transit system in the country. Before the ruling, we were barred from presenting an alternative point of view to the government's position," he told DRCNet.

kamari's picture

Good news. Still the ad is awful with that great tidalwave and all.