Despite growing pressure from the public — and multiple failed ballot initiatives — Missouri state legislators have declined to even discuss reform around medicinal cannabis.
This year, not one, but two separate proposals are on the ballot for 2016 to legalize medical marijuana, and voters have their pick. Missouri marijuana advocacy group Show-Me Cannabis has created a powerful 30-second TV spot to sway voters.
There’s been some progress in Missouri before, with Governor Jay Nixon ratifying a bill to allow the use of hemp oil to treat epilepsy. But the new ad, titled “Guilty,” suggests a wider group of potential beneficiaries from the legalization of medical cannabis.
In the ad, actors confess to being “guilty” of using medical marijuana to treat various ailments, from chronic pain to muscle spasms. The actors are framed in mug shots as they speak, posing like criminals, but signs held by each one indicate their mainstream careers.
As John Payne, Executive Director of Show-Me Cannabis says, “We feel this video really grabs viewer attention, provokes thought, and encourages education.”
It’s the first marijuana-related advertisement to air in Missouri, and Payne thinks the new proposals have a good shot. If polls showing statewide support for the initiatives materialize into votes, Missouri will join twenty-three other states in legalizing medical marijuana.
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