Starting Tuesday, former Attorney General of Vermont Kimberly Cheney will make an appearance in a new TV ad titled “Time to End Prohibition (Again),” advocating for marijuana reform in the state.
The ad likens cannabis prohibition to alcohol prohibition. Cheney’s voice-over tells viewers, “Prohibition was a disaster. It forced alcohol into the underground market, where it was controlled by criminals — and consumers did not know what they were getting.”
The ad launches as state lawmakers begin looking closely at the issue of legalization. Recent polls found that 56% of citizens in Vermont support ending marijuana prohibition, with only 34% in opposition.
Cheney, as Vermont’s former top law enforcement official, decided to appear in the advertisement for the same reason he became Attorney General. “He cares strongly about the safety and wellbeing of Vermont citizens,” said Matt Simon, political director of the Marijuana Policy Project. “There are a lot of current and former law enforcement officials out there who support ending prohibition and regulating marijuana.”
Cheney isn’t the only one. During a recent Senate Committee on Judiciary hearing, Windham County Sheriff Keith Clark also endorsed legalization. “By eliminating the prohibition on marijuana and the need to utilize funding for enforcing a failed policy,” he said, “we as a state can focus on what is important.”
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