Go green: Pro-marijuana billboard targets Waste Management Phoenix Open fans

PHOENIX — Supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana unveiled a billboard Monday targeting golf fans ahead of this week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Drivers in the area of Seventh and Lincoln streets will see the digital billboard appear on the southwest corner of the intersection.

The sign reads: “If beer and golf make for the greatest party on grass … Why can’t adults enjoy a safer party on grass?”

The billboard was paid for by funds raised by the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol in Arizona.

“When they put out their slogan as the ‘Greatest party on grass,’ how can we as an organization — whose goal is to legalize adult-use cannabis — not have fun with this?” campaign chair J.P. Holyoak said.

A group against legalized pot, Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, came out against the billboard in a Monday press release.

“Using the laudable and charitable Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament as a springboard to publicize a political campaign to legalize marijuana in Arizona is the opposite of good health, good education and good public policy and certainly the opposite of good taste,”ARDP chair Seth Leibsohn said.

Holyoak said his campaign plans to unveil more billboards targeting specific events throughout the Valley as members move into the educational phase of their plan to legalize marijuana in Arizona.

“This campaign is still in the early stages and you are going to see a lot of us all over the place,” he said.