While Tommy Chong Sits in Jail
- posted by Jim Leitzel @ 8:36 AM

Vice Squad friend Nikkie Eitmann stumbled across a catalog
for Urban Outfitters, only to discover an entry for
"Mary Jane's Sticky Brownie Mix." You can find it online at
the Urban Outfitters website, if you search on "brownie mix".
Both the online and non-virtual entries have a photo of
the box, which includes renderings of marijuana leaves.
Here's the description from the website:

mary janes brownie mix
get baked in 20 minutes - complete with recipe book,
pot leaf-shaped cookie cutter, and brownie mix to
sweeten up your 4:20
*note - does not actually contain any illegal substances
$ 12.00


That's right, folks, a pot leaf-shaped cookie cutter. Incidentally,
it appears that Urban Outfitters targets its merchandise at trendy
types in their late teens and early 20s.

Ms. Eitmann goes on to make a few points, some of which I reproduce
below, in condensed form...

(1) "It's also interesting that items associated with drug
culture (beaded curtains, lava lamps,..., etc.) have been
sold in [mainstream] stores like this for years, and everyone
kind of knew what was being implied, but it was 'wink wink,
isn't this cool, we won't say why, 'cause you know.' Now, it's
just right out there, 'Hey man, if you like getting high, you
should buy this product.' It's like society on some level has
recognized that there are a lot of people getting high out there,
but that doesn't translate into more sensible drug policies or
even to more sensible opinions on drug policies..."

(2) "People maybe think [that the brownie mix is] cool and
cute, which is also fine, but if people think that, why are we
incarcerating our citizens for using [pot]?"

(3) Are the customers of Urban Outfitters so out of it that
they will pay $12 for brownie mix? "They are giving stoners
a bad name."

Labels: marijuana, marketing, paraphernalia