Intercity Transit bus ad featuring marijuana leaf upsets some

By Christian Hill | The Olympian • Published August 10, 2008

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An advertisement featuring a marijuana leaf that’s on the sides of some Intercity Transit buses has drawn complaints.

Intercity Transit received complaints from two residents and one bus operator about the content of the Olympia Hempfest ad, which includes the image of a marijuana leaf and the phrase “Equal Rights are for Everybody,” said Meg Kester, an agency spokeswoman. The Olympian also received a complaint about the advertisements.

Intercity Transit forbids advertising on its buses that is obscene, defamatory, racist, sexist or “that is directed at producing imminent lawless action and is likely to produce such action.” The agency does not endorse any issue or product advertised on its buses, the exception being self-promotion, according to its policies. All political and issue advertisements identify who sponsored them.

The quoted language is taken from a landmark 1969 U.S. Supreme Court case on the limits of free speech, Brandenburg v. Ohio.

For more information, see Page A1 in Monday's Olympian.