An Oregon couple has begun an advertising campaign calling on mainstream Americans to come out of the closet regarding their use of marijuana.
“The United States government acknowledges that over 70 million American adults have smoked pot. That’s one in three of your neighborhood doctors, grocers, college professors, police officers, computer programmers, postal carriers, engineers, business executives, and spiritual leaders,” their ad reads. “These pot smokers are your elected officials. They are your dearest friends. They are your family members.”
The advertisement’s headline pronounces: “We’re Jeff and Tracy. We’re your good neighbors. We smoke pot.” It ran Wednesday in Oregon’s Willamette Week. The couple, Jeff Jarvis and Tracy Johnson, paid $2,555 to run the full-page advertisement.
They placed the ad to counter allegations that pot smokers are a threat to society. “I’m looking around saying, ‘This is crazy.'” said Jeff Jarvis. “It’s 2001, and we’re running around like it’s the dark ages.”
Jarvis and Johnson intended to run their ad in the Sunday Oregonian. However, the newspaper refused, calling it “unsuitable for publication.” Their attempts to place similar advertisements on city busses and rail cars were also rebuffed.
In addition to the print ad, the duo has also produced a 30-second public service announcement (PSA) stating: “We’re two regular people who smoke pot.” So far, however, few Portland FM stations have agreed to air the spot, which ends by asking: “Who do you love… who smokes pot?”
NORML Executive Director Keith Stroup praised the couple’s stance. “By coming forward publicly, Jeff and Tracy have effectively made the point that the overwhelming majority of pot smokers are responsible, mainstream citizens,” he said.
The ad appears online at: http://www.jeffandtracy.com.
