“Sex and the City” star Cynthia Nixon has made cannabis legalization a major platform of her progressive, anti-establishment New York gubernatorial race, and she has recently doubled down on the movement, teaming up with the leading ladies of “Broad City” to raffle off a bong. Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, the creators and stars, of Comedy Central’s “Broad City” are well-known cannabis aficionados and show that Nixon is not afraid of being tied closely to cannabis and that she plans on running up the score among young voters in her quest to unseat Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary on September 13th.

Nixon made a big splash among the cannabis community when she spoke at the New York City Cannabis Parade, this past may, co-organized by Steve Bloom (my friend and frequent celebrity interviewer on the International Cannabis Business Conference stage). While on stage, the actor-turned-candidate stated that, “For cannabis is the crown jewel in the racist war on drugs, and we must pluck it down.



I’m at the NYC Cannabis Parade to demand an end to marijuana prohibition and the racist drug policies of the United States. Free the people, make it legal. pic.twitter.com/RdvN4PWO83 — Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) May 5, 2018

I first learned of Nixon’s bong giveaway from Katie Shephard, in Forbes, who reported:

Officially dubbed the “Broad City Bong Contest,” Nixon’s campaign website states, “This may be a silly contest but it’s a serious issue.” For a chance to win now through July 16, participants can choose to make a donation of any amount, but no contribution is necessary and a winner will be chosen at random. Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d be typing: You could win a bong signed by @BroadCity‘s @abbijacobson and @ilazer! This may not be a serious contest, but legalizing weed is no joke. So enter now: https://t.co/ClfBSzSj9u — Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) July 8, 2018 However, the New York Daily News reports that the contest could be illegal citing defense attorney Ron Kuby, who called the contest a “technical violation” that prohibits the sale or offering for sale of drug paraphernalia. He added, “Cynthia Nixon by offering drug paraphernalia, as defined by federal law, could run afoul of federal law, but the lucky winner would not be. I would be thrilled to represent her pro bono should (U.S. Attorney General Jeff) Sessions and his band of trolls arrest her.” With the statewide legalization of marijuana as a cornerstone of the issues she’d tackle as New York’s next governor, Nixon is also focused on the racial injustice that remains in her messaging surrounding the contest.

There’s no way legalizing marijuana would be a remedy for the legacy of slavery & Jim Crow. But when it comes to repairing the wrongs of a racist drug war, we’ve got to make sure black and Latino communities are prioritized in the new legalized industry. https://t.co/Q04tC9Rvn9 — Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) May 7, 2018

Nixon knows that she’s an underdog to unseat a powerful incumbent, but the upset primary victory by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over Joe Crowley, who was on the shortlist to become the successor of Nancy Pelosi to be the next House Democratic Leader, has certainly provided a lot of optimism for Nixon backers. Regardless of whether she wins or not, and I’m certainly rooting for her, Nixon’s support for legalization won’t hurt her with voters as a strong majority of voters support ending cannabis prohibition. Additionally, she’s already won some victories for the issue as she’s made Andrew Cuomo more progressive on the issue. If you are able, support Cynthia Nixon’s campaign and help spread the word.

Learn the latest about cannabis politics and business at the upcoming International Cannabis Business Conference in Portland, Oregon, on September 27th-28th, and network with top investors, entrepreneurs, and advocates from around the world. Be sure to get your early bird ticket by September 12th to save $200!