Few cities in the world have achieved the same level of vaccination against COVID-19 as San Francisco, with 84% of residents over the age of 12 having already received one dose. However, there’s still plenty of unvaccinated people out there, and with the spread of the delta variant, every shot counts.
California has rolled out all sorts of incentives for vaccination, most notably a massive lottery, and now the nonprofit Code Tenderloin is upping the ante with a less conventional giveaway: They’re handing out free weed.
On July 30, the nonprofit will host Vaccine Rap Day at 4 p.m. on the 900 block of Market Street. Those 21 years or older will receive an eighth of an ounce of cannabis in exchange for getting vaccinated on site.
Additionally, rappers and singers are invited to create an original song about the COVID-19 vaccine. In exchange for performing it, they’ll receive a $200 VISA gift card. Song submissions are due today at 5 p.m.
It may seem like an unconventional plan, but it’s part of a broader strategy by Code Tenderloin that has drawn praise from District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney for the vaccination of thousands of San Francisco residents.
In addition to their recent vaccination efforts, Code Tenderloin works to remove barriers for people to obtain long-term employment, offering services including transportation to job interviews, job readiness programs and enrollment in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office’s Clean Slate Program to help expunge criminal records. Read more about their services at CodeTenderloin.org.