First Marijuana Ad Unveiled in Times Square as Advocates Push for Legalization of 'Weed' in New York

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Thursday, April 03, 2014

Times Square, N.Y., was lit up by its first-ever advertisement for marijuana Tuesday morning, courtesy of an organization called Weedmaps, which is pushing to legalize its use in the state.

The promotion, is geared at professional New Yorkers who want to enjoy marijuana responsibly in New York City, according to a report in the New York Daily News.

"Many New Yorkers who make the city great can potentially be taken to jail for this," said Weedmaps CEO Justin Hartfield. Weedmaps is a bit like Yelp for marijuana.

"There's a call of action on the ad. It's a way to kind of say to New Yorkers that it's time to legalize."

Aaron Houston, a policy adviser for Weedmaps, highlighted that an unprecedented number of bills have passed through the New York legislatures this year seeking to change existing marijuana laws.

"Our company strongly believes that marijuana prohibition ruins the lives of countless New Yorkers every year," said Houston.

"So many people support marijuana legalization," he said. "We're trying to do it in a really professional, highbrow manner. It's not just stoners. It's professional people too. This is about liberty."

Both Hartfield and Houston say they are hoping tourists in Times Square join the campaign to end the war on pot when they return home.

The company is now seeking to end the prohibition of marijuana through a change.org petition and nearly 300 people have signed on so far. Many of them have also sounded off on the prohibition of marijuana.

"Living in a society where your government tells you that if you go home from work every evening and chug down a six pack, its OK, but smoking a joint will get you in jail very much bothers me," noted Steven Treanor of Maspeth, N.Y. "It's not so much about wanting to get high, it's about wanting to live in a society where people can choose to do what they want as long as it doesn't harm another human being. Growing a plant and then choosing to smoke that plant should not be dictated by our government."

"Stop wasting tax dollars trying to fix something that isn't broken or stop something that hurts no one," said Brian Stollery of Brooklyn, N.Y.