Marijuana ads are enticing kids to try weed, study says
CNN — A legal loophole is allowing children who access social media to see enticing advertisements for marijuana with potentially dangerous consequences, according to experts.
Under the Controlled Substances Act, it’s illegal to advertise the sale or use of marijuana using federal airwaves or across state lines. But that hasn’t stopped social media ads on cannabis websites from reaching youth of all ages who use screens, said Alisa Padon, research director for the Prevention Policy Group, a health equity and prevention association in Berkeley, California.
“Businesses are allowed to make their own pages and then post ads on their feed. Youth are bypassing age restrictions and seeing the ads for products they’re not legally allowed to buy. They can like, comment and share those posts with their friends,” Padon said.
“Research shows that type of engagement is related to an increased likelihood of wanting to use and using cannabis,” she added. “It’s a perfect storm, and regulators are doing nothing about it.”
According to a 2024 national survey, over 7% of eighth graders, nearly 16% of 10th graders and almost 26% of 12th graders said they have used cannabis in the past 12 months. When marijuana use occurs during the teen years, it’s more likely the individual will become addicted, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Cannabis use during adolescence can interfere with memory, cognition and brain growth at a critical time in a child’s natural development, said pediatrician Dr. Megan Moreno, a professor and academic chair of the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison.
“There’s a dose response, so heavier users have longer-term effects, and there are concerns these developmental impacts may not reverse after abstinence,” Moreno said.
“It’s the wild west out there,” she added. “If you put an ad on your own little marijuana website, and it spreads virally through social media, there are no regulations against that.”
In response, the National Cannabis Industry Association told CNN that members of its association support “reasonable restrictions” to ensure ads do not target or appeal to minors.
“We are committed to working with regulators and policymakers to develop and refine responsible advertising practices that safeguard public health and safety,” said the association’s cofounder and CEO, Aaron Smith, in an email.
At the same time, Smith added, NCIA supports “the ability for the legal cannabis market to replace underground operators who have no incentive to protect minors.”
Effective advertising tactics
Marijuana stores and manufacturers are marketing their wares to youth using tested techniques popularized by the alcohol, tobacco and food industries, experts say.
“The marketing that we’re seeing in California for cannabis looks just like the marketing that is nationwide for alcohol and for e-cigarettes,” Padon said.
When it comes to social media advertising, however, the cannabis industry has excelled, said Moreno, who has studied the impact of marijuana ads on youth.
“The cannabis industry came into the market with traditional advertisements already illegal, so they became incredibly creative on social media,” she said. “The content is expertly crafted to appeal to youth.”
Moreno researched how marijuana sellers in four states where recreational marijuana is legal (Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington) have advertised to underage adolescents.
A key method was the use of young-looking salespeople called “budtenders” who help clients in the store pick out their marijuana products.
“Budtender is a riff on bartender. Advertisers tend to photograph budtenders who look like they are 16,” Moreno said.
“Also, the crossover between food and tobacco industry advertising and cannabis marketing really stands out — both use enticing color schemes and flavors,” she said.
“And they are using the alcohol industry’s playbook to send messages hinting it’s sexy to use marijuana.”
Padon quizzed 409 California youth between the ages of 16 and 20 about their reaction to various online cannabis ads. The research was published in the March edition of the International Journal of Drug Policy.
Overall, illustrations and food and flavor references were extremely appealing to youth, Padon said. Depictions of heavy cannabis use and positive sensations from that use were also a hit with young audiences. Advertisements focusing on the health benefits of cannabis, however, fell flat.
An advertisement placing marijuana in the middle of a burst of red cherries and bright colors was the most appealing ad to kids in the study, Padon said. Another popular ad showed an attractive young man who appeared to be 14 to 15 years old displaying cannabis products in a store.
“Another theme we found in our past studies was tying cannabis to athletics and being active, which is appealing to youth,” Moreno said. “Teens are in that phase of identity development trying to figure out who they are. So if part of an adolescent’s identity is a sport or being outdoorsy, the cannabis product is tying into something that’s valuable to them.”
Little regulation in California
In addition to cannabis research, Padon works on an annual report card on cannabis use, policy and advertising restrictions for areas of California that have legalized recreational marijuana. The 2023 report cards revealed that only 10 of 539 California localities created any restrictions on the sale of cannabis products.
The 2024 report card also finds few restrictions on advertising, Padon said. The exception was ads on billboards and signage on storefronts, which are not as enticing as social media for youth, she said.
Some jurisdictions have raised taxes on marijuana sales. The money supports local communities and is also one of the most effective ways to counter the use of marijuana in teens.
“We generally think taxation is a good thing,” Padon said. “The price of marijuana rises, which makes it harder for youth to purchase it. We also encourage any revenue to go toward youth services and prevention programs in the community.”
A problem that may only worsen
In addition to tracking local restrictions on marijuana sales, the Public Health Institute also tracks cannabis use throughout California, the largest state to have legalized recreational marijuana.
According to a 2024 report, daily or near daily marijuana use by California adults tripled and marijuana use during pregnancy nearly doubled in the past decade. This occurred despite warnings to expectant moms about the dangers of cannabis on an unborn fetus.
During a four-year period between 2015 and 2019, cannabis-related visits to emergency rooms increased by 70% in older adults, the report stated.
Nationally, the rate of use has been rising steadily, with 15% of all American adults saying they smoke marijuana, according to a Gallup poll. A 2022 study found people in states where recreational cannabis is legal use it 20% more frequently than those in states that have not passed legislation.
Increases in cannabis use can result in unforeseen dangers, Padon said: “Nationwide, there have been skyrocketing rates of accidental ingestion of gummies and chocolate edibles among very small kids because they look like candy.”
Calls to poison control centers about children age 5 and younger consuming edibles containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, rose from 207 to 3,054 in four years — a 1,375% increase, according to a January 2023 study.
In fact, many edibles are packaged to look exactly like their candy and chip counterparts on store shelves. One bag of gummies looks virtually identical to the popular candy Gushers, said Danielle Ompad, a professor of epidemiology at NYU School of Global Public Health, in a prior interview.
“The Nerd Rope knockoffs I have personally seen looked just like the licensed product,” Ompad said.
However, small print included on the label of the Gushers knockoff said the bag contained 500 milligrams of THC, she said. A look-alike bag of Doritos contained 600 milligrams.
“The (knockoff) Doritos were shaped just like the real thing and had a crunch as well. If I ate that whole package, I would be miserable. People who are using edibles recreationally aren’t typically eating more than 10 milligrams,” Ompad said.
If a child ingests edibles, they can become “very sick,” according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “They may have problems walking or sitting up or may have a hard time breathing.”
