Can Marijuana shops legally advertise on television in Maine?
Navigating Cannabis Ads on Maine TV: Strict Rules and FCC Concerns.
Cannabis has been legal in Maine for almost eight years, but getting the word out about a pot shop still isn't a walk in the park. Advertising adult-use marijuana products on TV comes with some questions.
Ted asked the CBS13 I-Team,
"I've been seeing ads for a pot shop with locations around the state, but I didn't know those shops could do this. What are the rules for local pot shops putting commercials on TV in Maine? And how does that coincide with the FCC?"
The short answer is yes, pot shops in Maine can legally advertise on television, radio, print, and so on, but it comes with some strict guidelines, which are laid out in the Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP) handbook.
One of the rules is the products can't be used on camera, but the biggest concern from the OCP is the ads must not reach the eyes of people under 21 and they can't be designed to target minors.
If you see a pot shop ad on tv in Maine, it has gone through sufficient scrutiny to ensure its age appropriate and it means you're watching a channel whose viewing audience is mostly older than 21.
As for that second question, since marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, many TV and radio stations with a multi-state audience are hesitant to air marijuana ads for fear of being fined by the Federal Communications Commission.
CBS13 checked in with our sales department and they say some TV broadcast companies allow medical marijuana ads but even those have stringent guidelines, and they must ensure the ads do not reach viewers in a state where marijuana is illegal.
