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Who’s your Buddie?

NOTE: This information is provided for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to express support or opposition to the legalization of marijuana.

Photo of Buddie, a green-headed superhero shaped like a marijuana bud
ResponsibleOhio’s mascot, Buddie, cheerfully endorses the legalization of gajna.

Ohio is preparing for a vote on the legalization of marijuana. Pot, weed, Mary Jane, reefer, grass… It goes by many names and many are lobbying to legalize this plant. Is that a good idea? It’s not really our place to say. We are just thrilled by all the weird ways that people are using to get their message out.

We’ve seen one side of the argument, eloquently depicted in the classic Reefer Madness film from 1938 and on police dramas, from the Dragnet of radio days to whatever was on last week.

As the ballot moves forward in Ohio, the ResponsibleOhio group has unleashed a new superhero. His name is Buddie, and he’s got a big, green, leafy head and the kind of muscles that you won’t typically find in a donut shop. He’s part of the Green Rush Bus tour of college campuses. Some are comparing him to Joe Camel, the infamous cigarette icon which was banned because of its appeal to children. Is Buddie using the same playbook?

In these matters, it’s important to have someone we can trust to help boil it all down. Fortunately, Stephen Colbert has examined this issue and provides insight.

Good luck, Ohio, whatever you decide!

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Loyalty cards for drug dealers

Split photo showing drugs being exchanged and close-ups of French loyalty cards
Example of a French loyalty card for drugs

So, you go into your favorite sandwich shop and they punch your card with each purchase as you work your way toward a free sandwich. You go to your grocery store, and you use a card for members-only discounts. Why can’t a marijuana dealer be like that? Well, in Marsaille, France, it seems that they are.

This article in La Provence (French. English translation by Google) describes how drug dealers in Marseille are trying to give their customers a break and reward them with special discounts for regular customers. Just like your sandwich card they give you a stamp for each purchase. Fill the card up and you qualify for special discounts.

Dealing drugs is illegal in Marsaille, as it is in many places. Yet it seems to be lucrative enough that people not only continue to deal, but engage in marketing programs as well. How weird is that?