An association named ‘Big Marijuana Big Mistake’ has apparently asked to pull off the pro-initiative advertisements on cannabis. Alexandra Gutierrez, APRN stated that the group is demanding Municipality of Anchorage to take action.

The very first pro-cannabis advertisement was put on the city buses, showing a pint glass of liquor, beer, and marijuana leaf, with a word ‘safer’ written over it. After 2 days, a bright red label was added, saying ‘Our Opponents Agreed’. The labels were inspired by the comment Tom Tougas from Big Marijuana Big Mistake (BMBM) at a recent debate “When you think of initiative, and you say, ‘marijuana is safer than alcohol, and I don’t disagree with that.”

The audio was promoted by the campaign to consider cannabis like alcohol; it said the supporting and opponent teams to consider the same, so that people know what exactly marijuana is. The group found it as a major compromise to the key argument and felt it would fit well into the campaign. They pulled several posters on the city bus, guiding people and other organizations that cannabis is a safer intake than alcohol.

However, BMBM group doesn’t agree; it asked the People Mover Administration to take off the red label. It said that red stickers should be removed immediately, as it is misguiding people. The organization said Tom Tougas didn’t mean to support the issue; he just told that marijuana could be better and safer than liquor. But, he didn’t intend that it should be replaced by alcohol. They called the slogan as gross misrepresentation of the anti-cannabis position.

BMBM deputy treasurer, Deborah Williams said that Tougas remarks were simply pulled into the matter; Ms. Deborah says her association believes both cannabis and alcohol are unsafe. Whether the weed to be smoked is grown from marijuana seeds or clones, it is not safe on the whole. Williams said, “They did not check with the coordinating committee of Big Marijuana Big Mistake. If they had, they would know that the opposition does not agree with that, period, end of story. The signs need to come down because they represent a clear misstatement of fact.”

BMBM didn’t verify with the opponents for removing the red label, but asked Muni to interfere. Taylor Bickford from Campaign to Regulate Marijuana spokesman said, “It’s inappropriate for Big Marijuana Big Mistake to “engage in an effort to censor their campaign.”

Taylor Bickford admits that they would not have put the red sticker, if Tom Tougas would not have acknowledged in public. A letter has also been sent to Municipality and BMBM is waiting for their response.