Over the past week, Anti-SQ 788 campaign ads that portray medical marijuana to be way more cool and fun than it actually is hit TV airwaves across Oklahoma.
According to tabloid media reports, the ads "are part of a $433,000 media buy" that's being funded by a hodgepodge collective of oil overlords, medical and law enforcement groups, chamber lackeys and stodgy moralist holy rollers. You know, the standard mix of local authoritarian power brokers who know what's best for you and your body, and demand you live your life according to their antiquated, mid-20th century values.
As expected, the ads are comically negative, and spread absurd lies and unfounded fears about SQ 788 in a desperate effort to get uninformed white Christian church-going folk to vote against it. They're going this route because lies and fear are the only legitimate reasons to be against medical marijuana. Unless you abstain from all drugs, there’s not a rational argument to be made against medical marijuana without looking like a totally hypocrite.
Here's the commercial in case you haven't seen it:
To all of my friends who live out-of-state, I swear that is not satirical. That's a real commercial that airs on real television in Oklahoma City. Ignoring the blatant lies, I think my favorite part is how the ads inadvertently give stoners and college students more reasons to Vote Yes.
For example:
So, you're telling me if SQ 788 passes that people will be able to use marijuana for any reason??? Uhm... That's awesome news! Great!!! Like most Americans, I believe law-abiding adults should be able to use marijuana for any reason and not have to worry about going to jail. Thanks for using one of the main selling points for medical marijuana to campaign against medical marijuana!
Naturally, the other points against SQ 788 are blatant exaggerations that misrepresent what the measure will accomplish. My favorite one is...
Once again, are they trying to get people to vote no or yes on this thing? The only thing these ads have accomplished is making me want to go back to college:
"Who's that strange white-hired old guy?"
"He's the floor's weed supplier."
Unfortunately, that claim is an unfounded lie. If a student can't drink alcohol or light candles in a dorm room, they're not going to be able to grow 12 pounds of flower in a closet either. For now, I guess incoming freshman are going to have to stick with more traditional ways of being cool and popular, like binge drinking dangerous amounts of alcohol at frat parties.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see what, if any, effect these Reefer Madness ads have on voters. I think it will be minimal.
Although a $433,000 ad buy may seem like a lot of money, it's actually a drop in the bucket when compared to other initiatives and state questions the Oklahoma Ruling Class has backed or opposed. They're spending such a low amount because they know SQ 788 will likely pass, and they don't want to invest too much money in a losing effort. In fact, I'd bet an 1/8th of Blue Dream that the current opposition campaign was primarily created to placate Republican allies in the law enforcement and holy roller communities. They love using lies and misinformation to gain power, so I'm sure they were all for it.
