Pro-Marijuana Protest To Be Held In D.C. This Weekend

WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- A pro-pot protest in the nation's capital promises to go up in smoke. This weekend, a group of protesters plans to go to the White House to push the president to legalize marijuana across the country.

George Solis shows the unique way the group plans to get their message across.

This is promising to be the first large-scale public pot smoking event in the nation's capital with numerous arrests to follow.

Right now, recreational pot is legal in four states and in DC. More than a dozen other states of okayed medical marijuana use. Pro-pot advocates say that's not good enough and are planning to bring it to the president's attention.

"There absolutely have been gains by the reformers like myself but it's not been because of the president. The president has stood in the way," said Adam Eidinger.

Eidinger represents the group also responsible for getting pot legalized in DC. Now he's behind a protest taking issue with what he says is more than five million pot arrests under the president's watch.

"Don't ban it, legalize it," he said. "And I think we might get it done. I think this is the protest that might actually light a fire, no pun intended."

Among tourists and sightseers, the group plans to light up in front of the White House with the help of an inflatable 51 foot marijuana joint.

The self-described act of civil disobedience aims to convince the president to take pot off the list of the world's most dangerous substances before he leaves office.

If arrested under federal law, protesters face up to a year in jail. The group says they'll call off the smoke out if the president agrees to meet with pro-pot advocates.

The legalization of marijuana remains an issue in the state of Maryland.