The Yes on 29 group held a press conference today demanding that the “Protecting SD Kids” group opposing Initiated Measure 29 remove their advertising from the air because they note it constitutes false advertising:
SDBML Executive Director Matthew Schweich called upon opponents of Measure 29 to take down what he described as a “demonstrably false and deceptive” advertisement currently running on Facebook and Hulu. Schweich emphasized that the ad falsely claims, “Measure 29 doesn’t just legalize marijuana,” a statement he asserts is unequivocally incorrect based on the text of the initiative.
and..
“I’m here to warn South Dakota television stations that if they run this ad, then they will be receiving a letter from me demanding it be taken down. That letter will make clear that running a deceptive ad of this nature is a violation of FCC standards,” Schweich said.
Interestingly, while the campaign for legalization seems to be largely promoted by South Dakota investors such as former Republican State Senator Deb Peters, and former Senator/former State GOP Chair Dan Lederman, opponents to legalization are relying on an out-of-state media company in Pittsburg who is likely responsible for the ad in question, according to the buy sheet filed with the Federal Communications Commission:
protecting-sd-kids from Pit… by Pat Powers
That would be the same “Protecting South Dakota Kids” that for a time switched from a ballot committee to a PAC, so they could dump the money they had raised against lawmakers who had supported them such as Byron Callies, before they changed back to a ballot question committee for the fall campaign.
Never a dull moment in politics.
If you think the marihuana lobby will stop with marihuana, you don’t understand their mission. https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/15/22533396/democrats-congress-decriminalization-marijuana-drug-policy-reform-act. Oregon tried legalizing all drugs until they realized how disastrous it was.
Who care where the ads are produced. What’s important to know is if Protecting SD Kids is a SD organizaiton. Does anyone know who is on thier board? Is the board from SD?
Just for the record – well over 95% of the money IM29 has raised is from South Dakota business folks, most of whom were born and raised in South Dakota. I grew up walking beans and cleaning out hog confinements in Union County. I feel lucky that I’ve been able to stay in South Dakota and have a great career. This industry isn’t full of evil druglords. We’re just normal folks. Well… mostly normal folks. 🙂 But we tell the same farm kid stories I hear on other boards and committees. It’s 2024, this issue has been largely decided around us. Now it’s time to make sure we implement it responsibly.
I raised my boys that cannabis is something that is for adults to use in moderation just like alcohol. More people will die from alcoholism in October in South Dakota than anybody has ever died from cannabis. Yet, it’s still a drug and deserves respect and responsibility. That’s our family. We understand that there’s not just one way. You do you and everybody wins. Especially the state of SD – Our neighbors in MT just brought in over 130 million.
Respectfully,
Doc
Good to hear most of the money is from South Dakotans. I’ve heard the same, but also heard that it’s almost all from people who own dispensories – very few donations from people outside the industry. Is that true?