The state of Washington is, apparently, having issue getting its residence to get jabbed. The solution? Why, weed, of course. What else?
No, you didn’t accidentally click on an Onion article.
The aptly named “Joints for Jabs” program is now in full swing. All Washington residents (age 21 and above) are eligible to redeem a free, pre-rolled joint from participating licensed marijuana retailers by providing proof of vaccination. This odd initiative was approved by the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board in an effort to combat the newly coined term “vaccine hesitancy” – newspeak for skepticism of anything vaccine-related.
Forget about consulting your doctor about your own personal health decisions, just make an impulse decision for free drugs and smoke your worries away!
This is not the only offer being made to citizens of Washington; restaurants are also offering deals to patrons for providing proof of their vaccination. Some businesses are even going as far to offer free sports tickets, and even more extreme prizes like cash prizes of up to $1 million dollars! What a great way to entreat the people whose livelihoods have been decimated by riots and lock-downs.
Despite being a solidly blue state run by the self-proclaimed “party of science” (where skepticism is not allowed and dissidents are shamed), these programs and sweepstakes would not be an apparent necessity if there were not a sizable proportion of the population in Washington unwilling to receive the vaccine. It would seem that there is a disconnect between the wishes of the people there and the government, which has been driven to the point of essentially bribing the public with weed. It is worth pointing out as well that “emergency use authorization” is not the same as the lengthy, rigorous process that FDA approved products are typically subject to prior to being made available for public consumption.
As with any health-related choice, it is not one to by made recklessly. It is on you, as an individual, to do research and inquire your health professionals regarding your own risk factors. No medication or treatment is one-size-fits-all. Skepticism is not a taboo, zealous mindset – it is the very thing science is made of.