Marijuana activists are headed to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia — and they are bringing a 51-foot inflatable joint with them.
Chris Goldstein of Philly NORML doesn’t consider marching with the joint an act of protest, rather a celebration of all that has changed recently regarding cannabis in America.
“Removing marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act was, three years ago, a very radical position. Now, Bernie Sanders has a bill in the Senate about it, and the [Democratic] party is seriously considering it,” he said in the Philly Voice report. “Are we protesting or are we out there cheering them on?
The inflatable joint made its first appearance in April during a demonstration at the White House, where law enforcement prevented the joint from accessing the lawn. Philly activists plan to march the joint from City Hall to the Wells Fargo Center — the site of the DNC — on July 25. According to the report, the doobie is nearly as long as Philadelphia’s South Broad Street.
“The marijuana movement has to bring some levity to the tense times we’re living in,” Nikki Allan Poe, one of the activists said. “We wanted to do a protest that’s fun.”
Activists said they will return with the joint three days later, at the convention’s close.
During their Platform Committee meeting earlier this month, the drafting party agreed to add marijuana reform language to the party platform. The platform will be voted on by party members at the convention.