Grassroots Papers Unleashes Trolling Papers Targeting Mike Pence

Photos courtesy Grassroots Papers

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]R[/dropcap]olling papers have probably never been more politically conscious or active within the cannabis sphere. Grassroots Papers—maker of the Original #JeffSesh rolling papers—is releasing a new line of “trolling papers” that now target Vice President Mike Pence, a known cannabis prohibitionist.

Each pack of Mother Pence’s Holy Rollers contains 32 unbleached rolling papers, filters and a magnetic clasp, complete with humorous messages all over the packaging designed to gently spread political awareness, with cannabis reform in mind.

“Mike Pence might be the most powerful prohibitionist left in Washington, so he was a pretty easy choice for our fifth pack of trolling papers,” an unnamed Grassroots Papers spokesperson explained to CULTURE. “We did a little polling for creative direction and asked people to tell us the first thing that came to mind about Mike Pence. The most common responses were the ‘Mother’ story, ‘homophobe,’ and the strict, strange ‘Billy Graham rule’ he appropriated to limit contact with women who are not Mother. So Mother Pence’s Holy Rollers was an attempt to roll all of those ideas into one pack. A joke on the pious, pot-fearing, puritanical Pences.”

“Mike Pence might be the most powerful prohibitionist left in Washington, so he was a pretty easy choice for our fifth pack of trolling papers.”

The Concept

The latest product was designed by standout artist and illustrator Schiani Ledo, who designed the “Altered State Portrait” of Pence on his Mother’s lap. “Notice Mike’s balled-up hand,” the spokesperson said, referring to Pence’s infamous oval office meeting with President Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer.

Grassroots Papers isn’t just selling a product. The company opted to take action and redirect some of the proceeds from Mother Pence’s Holy Rollers sales to the Drug Policy Alliance. “The Drug Policy Alliance is working to undo the harm caused by generations of elected officials whose failed drug war policies have led to mass criminalization and stigmatization of vulnerable people and contributed to today’s crisis in overdose deaths,” said Ellen Flenniken, Managing Director, Development for the Drug Policy Alliance. “We are honored that Grassroots Papers thought to offer a donation to our organization based on proceeds from the Mother Pence’s Holy Rollers product.”

The Legacy

Sadly, Grassroots Papers’ original target, former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, didn’t last long in his role under the Trump administration. “Our product line went obsolete overnight and we couldn’t have been happier. That’s our goal,” the spokesperson explained. “Trolling papers arise out of undesirable circumstances. They exist out of a need for change. So our products are limited edition, just like leaders in a democracy are supposed to be.” The spokesperson went on to explain that once a pack is no longer politically relevant, it becomes a collectors’ item, such as last year’s #JeffSesh or #PeteSesh papers.

Grassroots Papers, the spokesperson mentioned, is built on a tradition of activist rolling papers going back at least half a century, to the days of Vietnam and Watergate. Grassroots Papers is also working on action-oriented packs designed to inform, register and get “cannavoters” to the polls in 2020. Imagine if every cannabis-friendly voter in America voted.