DENVER—In a bold move to cast doubt on politicians’ claims of having once “tried marijuana,” cannabis advocates accused several high-profile officials Monday of exaggerating—or outright lying—about their experiences with the plant. “We’ve heard the stories, but where’s the proof?” asked advocate Logan Green, speaking at a rally held outside a local dispensary. “Every campaign season, politicians trot out their ‘I inhaled, I tried it’ stories, but we never see so much as a single photo or a confirmed dispensary purchase. If they smoked, where are the receipts?”

The allegations came after a series of campaign appearances where politicians referenced their past “experimentation” as a way to relate to cannabis-friendly voters. “Look, if they’d actually experienced the joys of cannabis, we’d see evidence—at least a photo of them in an ill-advised beanie or on a couch munching Doritos,” Green continued. “These are voters we’re talking about. They deserve to know the truth about who has truly partaken in the plant and who’s just pandering.”

Cannabis enthusiasts have taken to social media, pointing out the inconsistency in many politicians’ tales. “If you don’t remember which strain you smoked, did it even happen?” one skeptic tweeted, tagging several officials.

At press time, Green had organized a 4:20 p.m. press conference titled “Prove You Blazed,” calling for greater transparency in political campaigns and challenging officials to show their past experience with cannabis is as real as they claim.

After this article was released, Green reached out for an additional follow-up, clarifying, “I want to apologize if my comment unintentionally generalized cannabis consumers. Cannabis culture is diverse, and my mention of ‘ill-advised beanies’ was meant humorously. What really matters here is transparency from those claiming to support our community.”