Pete’s Pot Shop in Denver, Colorado is giving away 4,500 marijuana joints to Syrian refugees for Christmas.
The owner, Pete Thompson, told the Denver Post, “It’s the American thing to do and it’s the Christian thing to do. We are all going to be smoking some trees for Christmas.”
Marijuana is coming up on its 2nd year of being legal recreationally, so no laws are being broken. The dispensary sees the give away as good promotion for the store and a great housewarming present for the weary imigrants who have traveled 5,000 miles to a completly new culture.
The joints will cost the store nearly $18,000 plus an additional $3,000 in taxes, but Thompson sees the opportunity as a great act of charity and friendship.
Newly planted Syrian refugee Mohammed Farook Aziri had never seen a marijuana joint before. “We are not allowed to drink beer or do drugs in my religion, but if it’s the local tradition, we will try it.
“It will be my first Christmas and my first time smoking joints. It’s a lot to learn, but we will try our hardest. I’m hoping it is better than those Rocky Mountain Oysters we ate.”
Buzzkill
There has been backlash against Syrian refugees being located across the United States and the fear runs deep.
“They are already taking free weed from us,” an anonymous Colorado KKK member to the Rocky Mountain Times. “They’ll be taking our women next, just wait and see. I warned you.”
Other non-racist but anti-marijuana locals have different concerns about the free weed giveaway. “Why are we getting these guys addicted to a dangerous drug? It will make them lazy and not want to work. Then they’ll have to steal and rob to pay for more weed,” said Kody Blatz. “The store is just trying to gain more customers and are taking advantage of foreigners who don’t know no better.”
Pete’s Pot Shop disagreed with that logic and said, “Those people just need to chill the fuck out.”