An initiative to end marijuana prohibition in Arizona launched a pair of Mother’s Day-themed billboards in Phoenix and Tucson today.
Leaders of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol will hold media availabilities at 11 a.m. in front of the billboard in Phoenix (1925 E. Indian School Rd.) and at 2 p.m. in front of the billboard in Tucson (3640 S. 6th Ave.).
The ads, which are targeted at younger voters, feature a young woman sitting with her mother and ask: “Have you talked to your parents about marijuana?” The goal of the ads is to flip the script on marijuana education and encourage younger voters to start conversations about marijuana with their family members — especially older generations who have been led to believe marijuana is more harmful than it actually is. The billboards direct viewers to a website — TalkItUpArizona.org — that allows them to send a message about marijuana to their parents or other relatives. The billboards will run through Sunday, which is Mother’s Day.
“For decades, the federal government distributed anti-marijuana propaganda to parents and encouraged them to share it with their children,” said CRMLA Chairman J.P. Holyoak. “It’s time for younger folks to start sharing the facts about marijuana with their parents and other older relatives.
“Older voters tend to be less familiar with marijuana and, as a result, more concerned about making it legal for adults,” Holyoak said. “Younger voters need to talk to their parents about marijuana and make sure they understand it is actually less harmful than alcohol. They are the voices of reason, and we want to help them make their voices heard.”
Billboard: