Brian Laoruangroch wants a slice of the marijuana pie. His company, Prohibition Brands, is looking to raise money for a product line that includes Roach's filtered joints, Marijuanettes (a marijuana/tobacco blend for the European market) and La Cubana marijuana-filled cigars.
On the Seattle-based company's website, they outline their mission for potential investors: "Our aspirations are to expand our brand nationally as marijuana prohibition comes to an end in America. Over the next 10 years we would like to be the leading brand worldwide as the global marketplace comes to accept marijuana as a commodity no different than sugar, coffee and wine. Here at Prohibition Brands, we believe marijuana is a personal choice and a state's right. We strongly oppose the oppression and overreach by government into these choices worldwide. We dream of a day that not even a job applicant could be discriminated against in the workplace for his personal choice to consume marijuana."
The investor information also includes this advisory: "Prohibition Brands is a publicly traded company… We will hold an IPO sale of stock for $50 million in Fall of 2013."
Laoruangroch got his start in the business world when he founded Green Mobile as a way to recycle cell phones. He's from Kansas City and attended the University of Missouri. Laoruangroch was arrested in 2012 for grand theft auto and marijuana possession, which explains the company's activist bent. (He says the theft charge was the result of returning a rental car late.)
"I want to say this to the federal government if they read this,” says Laoruangroch. "Mr. Obama, if you want to be a hypocrite and arrest me for selling marijuana, I’ll come to the White House myself with the handcuffs already on. There’s no need for guns."
Prohibition Brands plans to make a big splash at the Seattle Hempfest (Aug. 16-18) by rolling a two-pound joint.
Below is their campy ad to attract investors.
