Afroman Remixes ‘Because I Got High’ With Pro-Legalization Message

Fourteen years after the
release of the hit song “Because I Got High,” Afroman is still
toking. But these days he’s not rapping about skipping class,
losing his job, or getting chased by cops. Instead, he’s fighting
for legalization.

The singer teamed up with the National Organization for the
Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and Weedmaps, a dispensary locator
app, to put out a new version of the classic tune. The remix was
released yesterday and already has some 500,000 views on
Youtube.

“This is a well-known anthem that is very famous across
generations. It’s something we’ve all kind of grown up with. It
just seemed like a really good opportunity to challenge the old
stereotype,” a NORML representative
tells Vice. 

Afroman sings about
medical benefits of cannabis, and forsaking recreational habits
like cigarettes, alcohol, and pharmaceutical drugs in favor of
marijuana.

And, for what it’s worth:

The state made revenue, because I got high

They built a school or two, because I got high

Now the state can fund drug treatment, and I know why …

No more criminal traps if it’s legalized

I don’t have to buy from gangbangers shooting craps, If it’s
legalized

Cut him some slack, since it’s just a fun song, but Afroman’s
lyrics are a bit pipedreamy. As Reason‘s Jacob Sullum has
covered extensively, the legalization of recreational marijuana in
Colorado and Washington hasn’t been flawless. Both states’ laws
can
trap medical patients and
recreational users, preventing them from ever driving a car
legally. And,
regulatory costs have made the cost legal weed in both states
substantially
higher than black market bud, so there
isn’t as much revenue for schools as one might hope.

The song’s release was coordinated with NORML’s “Smoke the Vote”
campaign, which is pushing for pro-marijuana legislation in Alaska,
Oregon, Washington, D.C., and Florida.