WHY WHITE CASTLE IS OPPOSING A DRUG REFORM POLICY IN OHIO

Moviegoers will definitely recognize the name of this iconic Ohio-based restaurant. In 2004, White Castle gained fame on television and movie screen across America when it was the basis for the stoner comedy Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. To this day, the restaurant maintains popularity for being open for 24 hours and (of course) for its collection of sliders, readily available in 30-pack Craves Cases (a.k.a., a marijuana smoker’s pot of gold). However, besides hamburgers and fries, White Castle has also added drug reform to its menu. In a surprising twist, the fast-food mogul clashed with an Ohio policy that plans to decriminalize drug activity in the Buckeye State. How did this come about and what views do restaurant representatives hold? Let’s take a closer look at why White Castle is opposing Issue 1 in the State of Ohio.

Donation to Fight Drug Reform

This upcoming Tuesday (November 6, 2018), Ohio voters will determine the outcome of Issue 1, a piece of legislation that will lower the grade of drug-related crimes from felonies to misdemeanors and remove imprisonment as a penalty (for first and second offenses). Likewise, if Issue 1 is passed, money will be sent to drug treatment programs for victims of crime. Overall, members of the cannabis community have taken a special interest in this issue due to its leniency towards drugs, which include marijuana. White Castle, however, is less than pleased about this piece of legislation.

On a list of members of an Issue 1 opposition committee, White Castle stands out, in particular, due to its whopping $15,000 donation. Throughout the years, the family-owned chain has contributed to political issues, but this donation marks the largest on White Castle’s record yet.

Motivation

So, why does White Castle oppose this drug reform policy?

In a recent interview with Leafly, Jamie Richardson (vice president of government and shareholder relations at White Castle) explained that the company is not necessarily opposing marijuana. Instead, White Castle is hoping to combat the Opioid Crisis. As Richardson adds, Ohio has been “ground zero” for this nationwide issue, and this reality has left a huge impact on the restaurant chain. Multiple drug-related deaths have occurred in White Castle bathrooms, as Richardson points out. So, this concern is rooted in a fear of opioids, not cannabis.

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