Yahoo News Mayor causes uproar as cannabis pen spotted on her counter in coronavirus tweet
While trying to encourage constituents on Twitter to leave big tips for their local restaurants during the coronavirus lockdown, Raleigh, North Carolina Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin revealed someone at her house was using more than just food and good company to calm their nerves.
In a post she made on 14 March, Ms Baldwin shared a photo of herself and a group of people ordering a substantial amount of takeout food from a local eatery.
She exhorts her followers to tip well - her group tipped 35 per cent - to support local restaurants.
Alongside the photo of the group was a picutre showing all of the food they ordered - and what appears to be a cannabis vape pen.
Naturally, Twitter users were quick to remind the mayor the accessory was in the photo.
Can I have a hit off that weed pen your honor
— 🌴🕊 Stefan BC 🌹🏴 (@Stefan_BC)
Mayor Baldwin we are looking for confirmation. Do you indeed puff puff pass? If so, what precautions would you recommend during this outbreak? pic.twitter.com/eSIactgo0T
— GRANITONES (@granitones)
Go on Joe Rogan.
— John McCain's Daughter (@BrainFarce)
Though many were simply dunking on the mayor, other users suggested she was being hypocritical, citing the state’s restrictive marijuana laws and demanding that people who've been locked up for possession be released.
Hey, I think it's cool that you have a weed pen. Everyone should have if they want. Not cool that you arrest people for it.
— Lev Novak (@LevNovak)
My people have sat in prison, lost their careers at 18 years old, all over some weed. So what’s gonna happen to you for this? You’re a government official, so you can get away w it. So how about you take some action? If you love weed so much legalize it#Colonialism #legalize pic.twitter.com/xdDGOErSIW
— MildewJones (@MildewJones)
So if you or I get caught w marijuana in N.C. we get thrown in jail while the mayor posts pictures telling you how much to tip with her weed pen in the picture pic.twitter.com/qB8Xme1rfJ
— Brent4brains (@Brentforbrains)
It’s important to note that there is no evidence that the pen is Ms Baldwin’s.
According to data gathered by a group called “Working Narratives,” the Raleigh Police Department made 3,154 marijuana-related arrests between 31 January, 2017 and 7 July, 2019.
To be fair to Ms Baldwin, she has been critical of the state of marijuana enforcement in the city.
“The other thing is, you get kids busted for a little bit of marijuana, where we’re sending people to jail for something that is legal in other parts of the country. Is that really how we should be policing? Are there ways that we can help kids, help young people, instead of just busting them?” she said during an interview with Indy Weekly. “What are we doing to facilitate conversation in the community between the police? We have a great police department. At the same time, I know that there’s opportunity for improvement.”
When asked during the interview if she’d ask the police not to arrest people for possession, she said she’d need “feedback from the police chief” and do so in a way that wasn’t “illegal.”
Ms Baldwin has not deleted the tweet, and has not commented on the pen.
