Cannabis activists in D.C. called the DC Marijuana Justice (DCMJ) plans to offer free marijuana joints or weed gift bags to individuals planning to get vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine within the capital. The cannabis organization initially announced its plans on January 11, 2021, in a press release on its blog.

Called Joints for Jabs, the initiative launched by the DCMJ is reportedly a play on the injection’s jab. According to the group, the main idea behind this campaign is not only to help further the call towards equal vaccine distribution, but also rallying behind the efforts of marijuana laws and reformation throughout the United States capitol.

Founded in 2013, Forbes shares the organization was geared towards advocating for cannabis policy reform. Members have reportedly taken to performing creative demonstrations throughout its founding.

Today, the DC Marijuana Justice activist group is seeking to pressure the Senate to pass the MORE Act. According to Forbes, the passing of this bill would allow the plant to be legalized on a federal level, an act that had been previously approved by the House of Representatives in December of 2020. The organization hopes that President Biden will take action and approve this act within 100 days of assuming office.

In order for joints and cannabis products to be shared once more by users in the future, individuals must have taken the vaccine. However, to be able to realize this, the District of Columbia must make the Covid-19 vaccine available to residents.

To celebrate the momentous occasion, the cannabis organization will give away gift bags at numerous vaccine clinics and centers slated to open in D.C. Forbes reports that the locations and times for freebies have yet to be announced. This will reportedly center on the schedules and sites that will open to the public.

In a statement by DCMJ co-founder Nikoas Schiller, the press release quotes that “To celebrate this momentous occasion and thank people for getting vaccinated, dozens of DC homegrowers will lawfully distribute free bags of cannabis outside vaccination centers as soon as the general public is able to get vaccinated.”

As of writing, Forbes reveals that marijuana growers who have pledged to the cause have now gathered at least three pounds of marijuana. However, this remains two pounds short of what the organizers are looking to have come vaccination season starts.

Furthermore, the DCMJ press release further quoted the co-founder saying, “We are looking for ways to safely celebrate the end of the pandemic and we know nothing brings people together like cannabis… DCMJ believes that cannabis should be consumed safely and responsibly, and the pandemic has made this difficult for many adults to share their homegrown cannabis. When enough adults are inoculated with the coronavirus vaccine, it will be time to celebrate – not just the end of the pandemic, but the beginning of the end of cannabis prohibition in the United States.”

With the buzz surrounding the vaccine with the aid of marijuana giveaways, another DCMJ co-founder, Adam Eidinger, said that the organization hopes to boost traffic to vaccination sites once the Covid-19 vaccine is rolled out.

At the same time, DCist reports that the Eidinger hopes that individuals will see the organization’s campaign, Joints for Jab, as a stepping stone for people to further learn and acknowledge the value the drug brings to the medical community.

With anti-vaxxers still pretty much prevalent within the MJ community and in the public, Eidinger states that through this effort, a reckoning by marijuana users and even non-users is hoped to be achieved.

Following this, Eidinger is quoted, If you believe in the science that supports medical cannabis, you should believe the science that supports the efficacy of the vaccine.”

In addition to the marijuana gift bags, DCMJ also intends to give out seeds named after former D.C. Councilmember David Grosso. In honor of Grosso, who the DC-ist states is a staunch advocate of the community, the strain will be known as “Grasso’s Green.” Grosso has since said the strain’s name is “totally cool.”

Apart from the marijuana gift bags that the organization is planning to give, the group is also thinking of holding another giveaway to celebrate the inauguration of President Joe Biden. This event was also observed during 2017, when Trump was elected to the presidency.

However, Forbes states that this plan will be put on hold, and the group plans to reschedule the giveaway to July of this year.

Emphasis on the New Normal and Safety Precautions

Cannabis culture is no doubt highly observed within the marijuana community. Given that joint sharing is a big event within the community, the transmission of one joint to another can be quite alarming, especially with the safety and health concerns surrounding this amid the virus pandemic.

In 2017, when DCMJ handed over giveaways amounting to more than 10,000 prerolled marijuana joints, the DC-ist states that this was licked by members who rolled these out. With cases of Covid-19 still very much on the rise, providing prerolled or hand-rolled joints can still pose challenges, especially when there is close contact between individuals.

With the safety of attendees and possible vaccine-takers in mind, the organization plans to give free marijuana in a safer and more protected manner. Instead of being rolled and licked beforehand, the group will now only provide loose cannabis packed in individual bags. The DCist states volunteers will be handing these out with the help of masks and gloves.

The organization’s approach this 2021 is more favorable compared to its 2017 method in handing out goodies. Apart from greatly reducing transmission of the said virus, this will also help avoid violation of city laws, especially when individuals who receive the pre-rolled joints smoked on federal grounds the first time around, states the New York Post.

Marijuana Moment states the cannabis giveaway that will take place in D.C. is legal under the 2014 legalization ballot initiative. However, the news site states that the sale of marjuana and MJ products in the area is still largely prohibited by the Congress.