{"id":265743,"date":"2017-12-01T11:31:11","date_gmt":"2017-12-01T16:31:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/policyoptions.irpp.org\/issues\/for-responsible-branding-and-promotion-of-cannabis\/"},"modified":"2025-10-07T21:53:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T01:53:24","slug":"for-responsible-branding-and-promotion-of-cannabis","status":"publish","type":"issues","link":"https:\/\/policyoptions.irpp.org\/fr\/2017\/12\/for-responsible-branding-and-promotion-of-cannabis\/","title":{"rendered":"Responsible branding and promotion of cannabis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since Prime Minister Trudeau first committed <\/a>to legalize and strictly regulate adult-use cannabis in 2015, the topic has become an animated national conversation. Many Canadians are at once curious and cautious. While some reports suggest 68 percent of Canadians favour<\/a> the legalization of adult-use cannabis and as many as 40 percent of Canadian adults<\/a> will use legalized cannabis, 58.5 percent also have concerns about children and youth having greater access<\/a> to the product.<\/p>\n

As the clock ticks down to the July 2018 legalization deadline, many Canadians \u2014 including public-policy-makers, regulators, industry and public health advocates \u2014 are wondering about the real-life logistics of an adult-use cannabis market. How can we best encourage responsible use, protect public health and safety, and combat the illicit cannabis market? How does reliable information about cannabis reach customers, and how do we prevent those messages from unduly influencing those under 18 years of age?<\/p>\n

While a number of provinces have set out strong direction that is designed to help protect citizens and their children and alleviate anxiety related to the process and impact of legalization, federal direction related to the marketing and advertising of the product is still being deliberated.<\/p>\n

Recognizing these federal directives as critical to establishing a flourishing and safe adult-use cannabis market, 17 of Canada\u2019s licensed cannabis producers (LPs), representing approximately 90 percent of the current legal medical cannabis market, together with the Canadian Medical Cannabis Council<\/a> and Cannabis Canada<\/a>, have joined together to develop guidelines for the responsible branding and promotion of cannabis. They did so in collaboration with Advertising Standards Canada<\/a>, the national independent, not-for-profit, self-regulatory body that oversees compliance in advertising for the beverage alcohol industry, children\u2019s food and beverages, consumer drugs and cosmetics.<\/p>\n

If endorsed by government, the proposed Adult Use Cannabis Advertising and Marketing Guidelines for Licensed Producers<\/em><\/a> will apply to the advertising and marketing of legalized cannabis products, accessories and services permitted to be sold under Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act<\/em><\/a>, and would come into effect alongside the rules for adult cannabis use in July 2018. Specifically, the guidelines stipulate as follows:<\/p>\n