Hali Stus admits she was rather shocked when she spotted the billboard.
Stopped at a traffic light on Lougheed Highway at Allen Way, she stared at it intently, realizing quickly, and much to her horror, it was advertising a bong.
“I made a mental note of it,” says Stus.
The billboard for Hoss Glass was the second one she’d caught sight of that day. Stus saw the first one while driving through Port Coquitlam.
When she got home, she researched the company and fired off an e-mail complaint to the billboard owners, CBS Outdoors Canada.
“It’s unacceptable,” said Stus, who was more galled when she found out the City of Pitt Meadows was receiving revenue from sign.
“Seriously, is this what it’s come to for advertising?”
Stus had yet to receive a reply from CBS Outdoors Canada, but noticed, shortly after her complaint, the billboard in Port Coquitlam was changed.
The one in Pitt Meadows has also since been removed.
Still, Stus believes the city should have criteria for what can or can’t be advertised on the billboards, instead of responding only when someone complains.
“I think they should be more proactive than reactive,” Stus said.
“As a society, we have enough challenges with the implications of drug addiction,” said Stus, noting the billboard promotes and somewhat condones a device that’s most often used to smoke illegal drugs.
Although most of the billboards along Lougheed Highway are on land owned by Canadian Pacific, the City of Pitt Meadows still receives around $135,000 annually in revenue from them.
Director of operations Laurie Darcus did not receive any other complaints about the billboard for Hoss Glass.
She said CBS is aware the city does not want offensive ads, but added that
Pitt Meadows does not have a set criteria for what can be advertised.
Darcus said when the city receives a complaint, CBS usually takes down the advertisement.
The fact that Stus was the only person to complain about the billboard could point to Canada’s increasingly liberal views on marijuana.
A poll conducted by Forum Research Inc., released earlier this year found 66 per cent of Canadians are in favour of the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana.
Pitt Meadows Mayor Deb Walters hadn’t noticed the billboard, but is satisfied with the process the city has in place.
“I believe, based on the past track record with CBS Billboards, they do a good job providing appropriate ads and service,” said Walters.
“I appreciate that everyone has the right to react and comment on what they deem is appropriate advertising. The city has responded to the complaint and taken necessary measures to forward their concerns to CBS Billboards. There maybe an odd item that slips through the cracks, but I am satisfied with the process in place at this time.”