Raise your hands, stoners: How many of you would like free pizza once a month? You know you would.
Aurora resident and medical marijuana patient Frederick Smith enjoyed his first free pizza last night. Earlier this week, a Papa John’s delivery driver reported Smith to the police, after he smelled weed in the customer’s house. The driver also claimed that Smith’s daughter was present. Police came and, after checking on the child and the house, apologized and left, filing no charges.
But Smith isn’t getting free pizza from Papa John’s. The company hasn’t offered so much as an apology. Instead, they released this statement:
“Papa John’s of Colorado wants to stand behind the decision that this delivery driver made. He was acting as a concerned citizen and for what he believes was the best interests of our community.”
So who would give this patient free pizza? None other than local pizza joint, Sexy Pizza. In a press release, the restaurant said,
“Frederick Smith will receive a free pizza per month from [us] until Colorado voters decide a 2012 ballot initiative that would regulate the recreational simple possession of marijuana across Colorado. If voters back the proposal, Sexy Pizza will provide Smith with a free pizza per month for life.”
It’s rare to see a company so ardently support cannabis–especially its recreational use. Sexy Pizza must know their customers. How many people in Denver are, right now, lighting up a joint or packing a bowl as they wait for the pizza guy to arrive? It’s a bold move for the restaurant to make, but it’s one that will surely land them some more business.
Kayvan S.T. Khalatbari, owner of Sexy Pizza, is also co-owner of Denver Relief, so he’s not shy about standing up for marijuana. He wants to “make it clear that there is nothing wrong with medical marijuana.”
“It’s time to put an end to the discrimination of cannabis users,” Khalatbari said.
Austin Wulf is a freelance writer and cannabis activist who could really go for a slice right now.
Read more of his THC-infused coverage of the pot industry here.