LONG BEACH, Calif. — Is a “joint” motivation to get the COVID-19 vaccination? Should people be offering a “gateway drug” to entice others into cooperating with vaccine proponents. That is what will be happening in Long Beach as residents who get the jab at a pop-up clinic next week will get some “weed.”
One pre-roll “joint” is available to each resident aged 21 and older who gets vaccinated at Houghton Park on July 24, according to Long Beach Forward, a local group that supports community-based organizations.
In a move that has people rolling their eyes, vaccinated residents will receive a token that can be redeemed for a joint in an effort dubbed “Joints for Jabs LBC,” KTLA reported.
“Cannabis is part of our Long Beach culture and to safely share a joint without contributing to the spread of COVID-19, we must all do our part to get vaccinated,” said James Suazo, Executive Director with Long Beach Forward. “With the delta variant becoming the dominant COVID-19 strain in Los Angeles County, we want our unvaccinated neighbors to catch a free marijuana strain instead so we can protect each other.”
Tokens will be limited to the first 150 Long Beach residents, excluding those under 21 years of age.