CBS Reverses Decision, Agrees to Run Pro-Marijuana Ad

by Te-Ping Chen · 2010-03-03 16:08:00 UTC
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Was it Margaret Mead who said, "Never underestimate the power of 8,809 readers who care about criminal justice?" Okay, maybe not quite that. But I'm excited to announce that one story we've closely tracked here at Change.org -- CBS's refusal to accept a pro-marijuana legalization ad -- resulted in a victory this afternoon.

Last month, NORML reported that CBS had denied the group's request to place an ad in Times Square that touted the potential billions in taxes that would result from legalizing marijuana. Remember, this is a network that boasts marijuana-infused advertisements for their Showtime Network show, Weeds. It's also the network that was perfectly willing to air a controversial anti-abortion ad aimed at peak viewership during the Super Bowl. But still, somehow CBS decided that NORML's message (“Legalize Marijuana – Billions in Taxes”) would ruffle the network's too-delicate sensibilities.

In a Feb. 3 rejection email, NORML was told, "If CBS changes their morals we will let you know."

Well, it turns out that a month later, the network has decided to stop censoring NORML's message. This afternoon, our organizing director here at Change.org spoke with CBS's communication vice president, Shannon Jacobs. Jacobs told us that the network "communicated to the people who wanted to place the ad that they will accept the ad if they still want to run it."

Congratulations to NORML for winning this well-deserved turnaround -- and thanks to all the Change.org readers who helped rout CBS's decision.

Photo Credit: heymynameispaul

Te-Ping Chen Te-Ping Chen is a freelance writer and U.S. Truman Scholar whose writing has appeared in the Nation Magazine, the South China Morning Post magazine, Le Soir, and Slate.com.
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