Louisiana Senate candidate smokes marijuana in new campaign ad

Marijuana legalization remains a contentious political issue across the country, but that didn't stop a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from smoking a blunt in his new campaign ad.

“Every 37 seconds, someone is arrested for possession of marijuana,” Democratic Senate candidate Gary Chambers Jr. said in the ad released on Tuesday, later adding that “Black people are four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana laws than white people."

"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 says in the ad, which cites the American Civil Liberties Union.

A 2020 report from the ACLU found there were over 8 million marijuana arrests in the U.S. between 2001 and 2010, and enforcement of those laws cost over $3 billion a year.

During the 37-second clip, Chambers can be seen sitting in a chair in a field smoking marijuana.

Chambers explained on social media that he hopes the 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a new conversation that creates the pathway to legalize this beneficial drug and forgive those who were arrested due to outdated ideology.”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 has backed federal legislation that would support state and local governments expunging criminal records for individuals convicted under marijuana laws, the Washington Post reported.

In a statement to USA TODAY, Chambers said, "The time is long past due that politicians stop pretending to be better or different than the people they represent.

"We must move toward criminal justice reform regarding marijuana arrests by pushing away the stigma and being real," the statement continued.

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Chambers is seeking to challenge U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, who was elected in 2016. The Democratic candidate launched his campaign last week, joining other bids to upset the incumbent senator.

In Louisiana, possession of up to 14 grams of marijuana is a misdemeanor crime carrying a fine of up to $100 with no possibility of jail time.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Louisiana smokes marijuana in campaign ad, calls for legalization