Ben & Jerry’s used the 4/20 holiday to make a significant point about marijuana legalization.
It’s hard to celebrate 4/20 when so many people of color are still being arrested for pot. We have to do better. Learn more: https://t.co/DPCcqND0SI
pic.twitter.com/fLsngGteOF— Ben & Jerry's (@benandjerrys) April 20, 2019
As a snack company, Ben & Jerry’s has every reason to favor weed legalization. However, it did not shy away from the racial aspect of the weed debate.
“Even if you’re not in a state that legalized pot, there’s a still a pretty good chance that the cops won’t hassle you as you spend 4/20 doing your thing,” the ice cream company wrote on its website. “If you’re a white person.”
The company pointed out how 81% of marijuana executives are white people.
Ben & Jerry’s further asserted its point with several sobering statistics about how stoners of color are treated by law enforcement.
“Between 2001 and 2010, there were more than 8 million pot arrests (88% for possession). And during that time, a Black person was 3.73 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than a white person,” Ben & Jerry’s continued.
“Since then, in states that have legalized cannabis, arrests, as you’d expect, have gone done. Unfortunately, legalization hasn’t done anything to change the racial disparities.”
Black people are even targeted in states where pot is entirely legal. Black people in Alaska are 10 times more likely to be arrested. We’re also three and four times more likely to be cuffed over cannabis in Colorado and Washington, D.C., respectively.
Ben & Jerry’s started a petition for the expungement of marijuana convictions and pardons for people who only have weed-related charges on their records. As of this report, over 33K people have signed it.
The ice cream company is also putting money toward the cause. The Daily Beast reports Go Caliva dispensary will donate 4.20% of its 4/20 profit to Clear My Record, a project dedicated to clearing marijuana charges from people’s criminal records. Anyone who placed an order with the dispensary on 4/20 received a free pint of Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked ice cream, according to WXIA.
It’s official: Ben & Jerry's has moved up the ranks as a favorite munchies snack.
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