Louisiana Senate candidate smokes marijuana in new campaign commercial

A US Senate candidate from Louisiana has released a new campaign ad in which he openly smokes a rolled marijuana blunt and discusses unfair marijuana laws.

Gary Chambers Jr., who is running to unseat Republican Senator John Kennedy, is running on a platform of marijuana legalization, prison reform, and social justice. Chambers, who comes from North Baton Rouge, appears in his new campaign ad sitting in a field alone, lighting up and smoking a rolled blunt. 

As he smokes, Chambers, in a voiceover, lists off statistics about the unfair imprisonment of marijuana offenders. “Every 37 seconds someone is arrested for possession of marijuana,” said Chambers.

He continues, States waste $3.7 billion enforcing marijuana laws every year. Most of the people police are arresting aren’t dealers but rather people with small amounts of pot, just like me.”

Chambers Tweeted the ad on Tuesday along with the caption, “I hope this ad works to not only destigmatize the use of marijuana, but also forces a new conversation that creates the pathway to legalize this beneficial drug, and forgive those who were arrested due to outdated ideology.”

Chambers and Kennedy will face off in November’s all-party elections, and if neither receives a majority vote there will be a run-off held for the Senate seat.