Sacha Baron Cohen is suing a cannabis company

Actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, best known for his role as Borat, is suing a cannabis company over a Borat billboard. On Monday, Cohen filed a lawsuit against a cannabis company for using the likeness of its famous character Borat in its billboard advertising. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Cohen is suing Solar Therapeutics for portraying his character Borat on a national billboard in Massachusetts showing a thumbs up saying, "It's Nice!" "By using the billboard, Defendants incorrectly conveyed to the public that Baron Cohen endorsed their products and is affiliated with their company," Cohen's attorney David Condon wrote in the lawsuit. "On the contrary, Mr. Baron Cohen has never used cannabis in his life. He would never take part in an advertising campaign for cannabis, no matter the amount of money." According to the lawsuit, Cohen personally does not believe that marijuana use is a healthy choice. The suit also said that Cohen never took any type of corporate brand deal, despite being "given myriad opportunities." "With his 'Ali G' character portrayed by Mr Baron Cohen on the HBO television series 'Da Ali G Show', Mr Baron Cohen has spent much of his career mocking the 'stoner' culture - a culture that the defendant's billboard overtly celebrates, "said Condon. "Also, Mr. Baron Cohen was born into an Orthodox Jewish family; he is a devout Jew and he is proud of his cultural heritage," added Condon. "He does not want to be drawn into the heated controversy among the Orthodox Jewish community over whether cannabis can be used according to Jewish traditions, customs and rules."