Marijuana billboards will surround Super Bowl stadium [PHOTO]

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Colorado and Washington are the only two states to have legalized recreational marijuana and the Marijuana Policy Project is hoping to capitalize by putting up pro-pot billboards that will be on display when the Seattle Seahawks take on the Denver Broncos during the Super Bowl in East Rutherford, N.J.

The Washington D.C.-based organization will have five pro-pot billboards dotting the freeways surrounding MetLife Stadium for the big game on Sunday.

This isn’t the first time the MPP has advertised at a football game.

Marijuana Policy Project billboard outside Broncos' stadium: pic.twitter.com/FyDFMdbpCL
— Betsy Woodruff (@woodruffbets) September 4, 2013

“Hopefully it’s going to inspire people to talk to one another about marijuana and particularly its relative harms compared to alcohol and football,” said MPP director of communications Mason Tvert.

“I think a lot of people will be shocked at just how many people are getting in trouble for using a less harmful substance than alcohol. When you’re sitting in a full stadium and you think about the idea of everyone in there being arrested 10 times over, it really gets you thinking about just how many people that is.”

Superbowl billboard: "Marijuana Is Safer Than Alcohol... And Football" (via @marijuanapolicy) http://t.co/8CLRglAmF2
— Hunter Stuart (@Hoont) January 28, 2014

Tvert plans on giving NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a petition asking the league to stop punishing players for using marijuana.

According to the petition: “The league would never punish a player simply for having a beer or cocktail, so why does it levy severe penalties against them for using a substance that is less toxic, less addictive, and less likely to contribute to violence? The NFL's harsh marijuana penalties do nothing to promote the health and safety of the players.”

Goodell indicated last week that he might consider allowing players to use marijuana for medical reasons if it was proven to be beneficial. “I’m not a medical expert,” he said. “We will obviously follow signs. We will follow medicine and if they determine this could be a proper usage in any context, we will consider that. Our medical experts are not saying that right now.”

[USA Today Sports] [Marijuana Policy Project]