A US advocacy group is planning on giving away free cannabis joints at COVID-19 vaccination sites, as part of a community effort known as ‘Joints for Jabs’.
DC Marijuana Justice (DCMJ) has been fighting to end cannabis prohibition in the US since 2013. The group is well-known for high-profile cannabis activism and was partially responsible for Washington D.C’s 2014 recreational cannabis legalisation laws.
Joints for Jabs will see activists handing out free bags of cannabis to Americans who have received the COVID-19 vaccination. The cannabis will be supplied by volunteer cannabis home growers.
According to a report from the DCist, DCMJ is hoping to collect 2.26 kilograms of cannabis for distribution. They have already received 1.36g kilograms of cannabis from the local community, as well as ‘Grasso’s Green’ seeds from former D.C Councilmember David Grosso.
The organisation will release more details on Jabs for Joints once COVID-19 vaccination sites are announced.
DCMJ had previously planned to conduct their latest joint giveaway at the Inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden on January 20th. This would have been in line with a previous cannabis giveaway organised by DCMJ, which was held at the Inauguration of Donald Trump back in 2017.
The event, known as #Trump420, protested cannabis prohibition and led to the giveaway of over 10,000 cannabis joints. #Trump420 was attended by drug reform advocates from across the US, who stretched across 6 blocks.
As #Trump420 distributed cannabis that was sealed with a lick, DCMJ rescheduled Jabs for Joints over fears coronavirus may spread through joints smoked by unvaccinated people.
DCMJ’s co-founder Nikolas Schiller believes that Joints for Jabs is a great way for DCMJ to bring people together and celebrate. He was quoted in a recent press release from the organisation.
When enough adults are inoculated with the coronavirus vaccine, it will be time to celebrate – not just the end of the pandemic, but the beginning of the end of cannabis prohibition in the United States.
While recreational cannabis is has been legalised in 16 US jurisdictions, it remains illegal in Australia.