marijuana ads

Broadcasters, like other federally regulated industries, continue to be leery about advertising for marijuana, even in states where cannabis dispensaries have been legalized for medical or even recreational use. Where the FCC has provided no advice whatsoever, broadcasters as regulated entities need to be very restrained in their desires to run ads for these dispensaries that appear to be legal under state laws.

There’s an emerging market for them in states where marijuana is now legal, but they face real problems everywhere else, including at the federal level, and that’s putting a damper on growth.

The first ones who stand to make a windfall off medical marijuana aren’t necessarily the dispensaries or doctors; they might just be the advertisers and the media that air their campaigns.

Reflecting possible relaxation of federal enforcement policy, a memo from Department of Treasury office to financial institutions spells out “due diligence” steps to take in dealing with pot-related businesses. Could this be a possible road map for marijuana advertising?