- Bob Marley
- Jun 23, 2025
- 3 min read
There’s somehow a second Bigfoot and marijuana news story coming out of Michigan in the span of a single month, with controversy swirling around a 14-foot Sasquatch statue outside of a cannabis store that some say sends the wrong message to children.
Previously, an alleged Bigfoot sighting in Monroe County last month sparked some creativity within the marijuana community when, earlier this month, the dispensary Uniq Cannabis started offering a free pre-roll to anyone who brought in photographic proof of the mythological creature.
Now, a Sasquatch statue outside the separate retailer Higher Love, located in Menominee, is at the center of controversy. The exhibit became a talking point at the city planning commission’s meeting this month, where certain community members argued that the faux beast could attract the attention of youth—with one resident advising the panel to “think about what mascots they see in our community and how they are impacting children.”
Karianne Lesperance, executive director of the Healthy Youth Coalition, also sent a letter to the commission that some students have “expressed concern about how these efforts may be normalizing use or influencing young people.”
Joni Moore, president of Higher Love, shared a different perspective.
“I would be in opposition to that,” she told The Eagle Herald. “This is not a cartoon character. Our Sasquatch that’s in front of the store is a little bit scary, so I don’t see how that’s targeting children at all.”
“Everybody loves Sasquatch,” she said. “And people in especially forested areas seem to identify with Sasquatch. He is an adventurous character and it’s really just Higher Love trying to have some fun.”
“Every time I go to a public meeting, there’s always a hater in the audience who just doesn’t like cannabis. That’s fine. People are entitled to their opinions. It just brings a little whimsy to a community and I think it’s all positive. I don’t see any problems at all.”
Michael Scholle, the code and zoning officer in Menominee, said he spoke with City Attorney Michael Celello and was advised that the Bigfoot statue doesn’t violate local laws on signage.
Beyond standing up Bigfoot statues or offering deals for evidence of a mythological creature, marijuana companies have sought to gain publicity in a number of creative ways.
For example, Rolling Derby, a group founded by a group of cannabis industry veterans, announced last month that they have organized a series of “speed-rolling” tournaments, where adults 21 and older can compete against each other virtually or in person to see who can successfully fashion a joint the fastest.
Late last year, Toker’s Guide—which offers an online directory of dispensaries in several jurisdictions—listed series of job listings seeking experienced cannabis consumers in states across the U.S. to sample and review marijuana products.
Also last year, the rolling paper company DaySavers announced they’d pay $4.20 to volunteers willing to smoke two free pre-rolled joints and provide feedback on their smokability.
DaySavers separately launched a campaign last March to hire for what it calls the “ultimate stoner dream job,” seeking a content creator to “get paid to smoke weed.” The full-time social media creator and event marketer job pays $70,420 with perks including cannabis product testing and all expenses paid travel to marijuana events.
Some other high-profile clients have also offered to pay people for rolling joints–for example Snoop Dogg, who said several years ago that he pays someone $40,000 to $50,000 per year to have blunts readily available.
Meanwhile, although it won’t feature a speed-rolling tournament, the California State Fair will once again feature a cannabis exhibit and competition at this year’s event, with expanded award categories meant to showcase the diversity of the state’s market.
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