Half-baked policies
April 20, known as the Black Friday of weed for its record-breaking sales, has a well-earned reputation as a party holiday to those who celebrate. But it’s also gathered steam in recent years as an activist showcase. The fight to free those behind bars for minor weed crimes has been a focal point for many nonprofit groups and consumer brands.
Ben & Jerry’s, with a track record of activism in the space, recently hosted Michael Thompson on its podcast Into the Mix. Thompson served 25 years for a cannabis conviction, the longest sentence for a nonviolent drug charge in Michigan’s history. Gov. Whitmer signed the Clean Slate bill, granting clemency to Thompson in 2021.
Calling it an “important first step,” the brand asked Whitmer and other legislators to go further, using the power of commutation that can “untangle a complicated system.”
The brand is supporting the effort with outdoor and mobile media buys near legislative offices in Ann Arbor and Lansing, along with giving consumers a digital link to contact their representatives via an autofill letter template.
Per its blog post: “Now is the time to address the racial inequities in cannabis criminalization by calling on Whitmer and all governors to grant widespread clemency for those still incarcerated for cannabis crimes.”