Colorado almost had another landmark day in marijuana legalization history. There was supposed to be, for the first time ever, a TV ad for recreational marijuana to be broadcasted on an ABC affiliate on Monday.
But the plans were cancelled the previous Friday over legal concerns, according to the Denver Post.
The advertisement from Neos, a recreational marijuana company, doesn’t explicitly show marijuana usage, as well as tempering the language. Instead of ‘toking up’ they subtly use words like ‘relax’ and ‘recreate’ when selling the experience. Appealing to a younger demographic of adults, the ad shows the younger generation hiking, camping, and partying. Neos encourages consumers to “now enjoy the best effects and control with Neos portable vape pen and recreate discreetly this summer.”
While the ad completely leaves the drug out, E.W. Scripps Company, which owns the local station, were hesitant to advertise the state-allowed, but federally-forbidden, substance. Especially when the airwaves are regulated by said federal government.
“We are proud to be a company of free speech and open expression, but we have concerns about the lack of clarity around federal regulations that govern broadcast involving such ads,” a spokeswoman, Valerie Miller, told CNN Money.
The hazy area between state and federal law is where marijuana enthusiasts continue to clash. In June, a quadriplegic employee was fired for using medical pot outside of work. Even though marijuana was legal in the state at the time, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that the company could fire the employee because toking still violated federal law.
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