Pot producers lobby to brand wares
TORONTO Sixteen of Canada’s licensed marijuana producers have enlisted the help of Advertising Standards Canada to develop guidelines on how the drug should be branded and promoted before its recreational use becomes legal next year.
The marijuana sector has been lobbying Ottawa for the right to brand their products, arguing that not being able to promote in stores or on packaging will prevent them from being able to effectively compete with the black market.
“We have to be able to differentiate ourselves from individual illegal marketers who are out there right now, that are branded to the hilt in these illegal dispensaries and aren’t going to abide by federal rules,” said Cameron Bishop, director of government affairs at Privateer Holdings.
“We don’t want to be flashy. We’re not talking about massive billboards or anything like that.”
Last year, a federal task force issued a report recommending that cannabis products require plain packaging that would allow only certain kinds of information to be listed, such as company name, strain and price. It said advertising restrictions should be similar to those placed on the tobacco industry.
Health advocates have argued that such restrictions are necessary to ensure that users are aware of health risks associated with the substance. They also claim that allowing marijuana companies to market their products could lead to widespread use of the drug.
Bishop says he hopes the guidelines developed by the Advertising Standards Canada in conjunction with the industry could serve as a baseline for the government’s consultations.