This Canadian Campaign Concocted Cannabis Strains to Highlight the Dangers of Driving High

With Canada set to become just the second country to legalize recreational marijuana use in July 2018, Canadian anti drug-driving campaign Ride Checks has created its own marijuana strains to warn of the consequences of driving high.

The project, by BBDO Toronto, is inspired by the insight that, among current strains of marijuana, whimsical names like "Laughing Grass" and "Candy Cane Brain" fail to convey the potentially life-changing consequences of smoking and driving.

The agency collaborated with Beleave, a licensed producer of medical cannabis, to create three new cannabis strains: "Kourtoom Krush" "White Whiplash" and "Slammer Time." Each strain, promoted via an online documentary and influencer outreach, features a product description outlining the possible consequences of driving high. The associated materials drive viewers to a dedicated website, ConsequenceStrains.com, which outlines the consequences of being caught driving high and includes victim testimonials and statistics.

"The strains are a way to break through to our audience --young Canadians--because they don't typically view driving high as a problem," says Denise Rossetto, Chief Creative Officer, BBDO Toronto. "By creating this campaign we hope to educate and remind cannabis users that all strains of marijuana carry the dire consequences of driving high."