Stoners make good choices in this horror-inspired Ad Council PSA

Marijuana doesn’t have the dangerous, life-destroying effects that a generation of drug czars and D.A.R.E. instructors have long insisted. But it does slow reflexes, as anyone who’s struggled to get off a couch to grab a bag of chips can attest. A new TV spot for the Ad Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration takes a comedic, cinematic approach to its safety message, warning would-be stoners not to drive while high. Directed by Vincent Peone via Artclass, it taps into slasher tropes—a relentless stalker with a big axe, clumsy bros trying to escape, an abandoned pickup truck with keys in the ignition—and subverts them with a surprisingly responsible decision, even in the face of certain death. It wraps with a catchy, original song written, performed and produced by Daniel Grimsland. This is also the first TV spot from Vox Creative, the branded content studio at Vox Media. Initially, the campaign was supposed to run just on Vox properties before growing to include broadcast TV. Movie posters, complete with fake reviews will run in 15-second cuts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Stoners make good choices in this horror-inspired Ad Council PSA

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