Jay-Z’s cannabis line, MONOGRAM, launched a drug policy awareness campaign on Monday that aims to call out the hypocritical and antiquated marijuana regulations in the United States.
“Cannabis laws are out of date and disproportionately cruel and punishing when compared to the rest of the legal code,” Jay said in a statement. “We still don’t have proper regulation for texting and driving in Missouri, but staying home and smoking weed will get you locked up.”
“I created this campaign to amplify the voices of those who have been penalized for the very same thing that venture capitalists are now prospering from with the emerging legal cannabis market,” Hov added. “Far too often, we forget that these are real people whose everyday lives and futures have been affected by this outdated legislature – people like Bryan Rone, who can no longer pursue a career in sales because of a cannabis-related conviction in 2003.”
The campaign will use ads, billboards, and murals in major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Miami to bring awareness to the drug policy campaign. MONOGRAM plans to expand to additional cities before the end of the month.
“The war on drugs worked if systemic racism was the goal,” one of the campaign’s images says. “If you use a flamethrower to light a joint, you’ll be arrested in 17 states. But not for the flamethrower,” reads another.
The MONOGRAM campaign also aims to shed light on real people who have been negatively impacted by the War on Drugs. Video testimonials from eight individuals offering their own firsthand experiences with the criminal justice system for marijuana-related offenses will be released.
California-based MONOGRAM is Jay-Z’s first cannabis line, which now boasts several products within the line.
