For more information contact Joseph White at 413.774.4080 or 413.773.0555 (cellphone) or email info@changetheclimate.org.

As the Supreme Court considers the first medical marijuana case this spring, an advertising campaign that compares the relative harm of marijuana and tobacco and alcohol will be on 36 bus shelters around the nation's capitol. The campaign is being launched by Change the Climate, a non-profit group of parents and business executives that uses provocative transit advertising to stimulate debate about marijuana policy. Unlike Change the Climate's METRO advertising campaign this past January, the bus shelter campaign features only one ad. The approximately 6 feet by 4 feet ad is black on a white background and reads "America 1992 to 1999. 3.2 million tobacco deaths. 1.4 million alcohol deaths. 0 marijuana deaths. Tell us the truth . . . www.changetheclimate.org"

"The goal of this ad campaign," says founder Joseph White, "is to inform people about the human costs associated with tobacco, alcohol and marijuana. The contrast is rather stark." White adds that "This ad is part of our 'Truth Campaign' that seeks to balance government advertising that often associates marijuana so closely with hard drugs."

Change the Climate hopes that people will see the ads and log onto the organization's website (http://www.changetheclimate.org) to learn more about marijuana issues, to see the organization's other marijuana reform ads, to participate in the online bulletin board and to make contributions to buy more ads in other cities.

Online Ad Campaign on 100+ College-based Websites

Starting April 18th and continuing through May 4th, Change the Climate is conducting an advertising campaign online with the purchase of 500,000 impressions in an effort to get college students involved in marijuana reform. White points out that "College campuses are a place for discussion and debate. Our advertising campaign with The Daily Jolt (www.dailyjolt.com) will reach over a hundred colleges during the next three weeks. As part of the campaign, the Daily Jolt is hosting a marijuana forum across all participating campus websites.

"Our goal," White continues, "is to get students involved. Students are the target of government advertising campaigns - the campaigns that make young people cynical and distrustful of adults. We encourage parents and other adults to visit the online forum from April 18 to May 4." The forum address is: www.dailyjolt.com/forum/issues/marijuana/

"When parents learn that their children are ineligible for federal student loans if they get busted for pot but the guy who raped a girl or robbed a bank still gets his student loan, they'll be up in arms," exclaims White who has spent hours talking to parents of kids who've been arrested for marijuana. Change the Climate is also working with Students for a Sensible Drug Policy www.ssdp.org on this campaign.

The only other campaign is in Boston where it has been temporarily delayed by an ACLU-sponsored First Amendment lawsuit against the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) for not agreeing to display the organization's ads. A decision on that case is expected soon. New campaigns are being prepared for Chicago and New York.

Change the Climate's strategy is based on the realization that politicians will not support marijuana reform until the climate around marijuana is more favorable. Just as businesses invest in advertising to change consumer behavior, Change the Climate believes millions of advertising impressions will begin to change public opinion.