Enjoying cannabis and going through the drive-through for some salty, greasy, delicious fast-food goodness go together like hand in glove, right? Wrong. Now, you better think twice, if you’re in your car in Gulfport, Mississippi, and craving some Sonic treats while enjoying a smoking session.
Sonic, known for its delicious drinks and traditional burgers and fries, surely attracts a few customers who enjoy consuming cannabis. But apparently the location in Gulfport has had enough, with the business recently posting a sign last month alerting customers to its new policy:
ATTENTION! If you are smoking weed in the drive thru you will not be served! Please show some common courtesy and smoke and air out before pulling up to order. Thank you. Management.
While cannabis is not legal in Mississippi for recreational purposes, it has been decriminalized for possession of small amounts, with first-time offenders paying no more than a $100 fine. Also, since 2014, under Harper Grace’s Law, consumption of low-THC/high-CBD processed extract, oil or resin is allowed for certain severe seizure disorders — although, this legislation has proven the most restrictive of all medical states and inaccessible for a vast majority of patients.
According to the Biloxi Sun Herald, this particular Sonic attracts a lot of customers who actively smoke cannabis while going through the drive-through. What pushed store manager Yasman Freeman over the edge was when a drive-through customer allegedly blew cannabis smoke directly into the face of the underage employee working the window. And so, the sign was born.
Freeman said the no-smoking decree has actually helped, and had lowered the amount of folks who smoke while on the premises, which is what store management was hoping to accomplish.
The sign has since been taken down as it was not part of official Sonic policy.