The first televised marijuana ad was foiled by the federal government
Monday was to be a landmark occasion for the country's legal pot proponents — the first televised marijuana advertisement was scheduled to air on Denver's ABC affiliate KMGH, right before Jimmy Kimmel Live! — but federal regulations got in the way.
While medical and recreational marijuana use is legal in Colorado — and in a few other states — it's still illegal under federal law. And because the FCC governs broadcast television, there's confusion surrounding the commercials' legality.
The 15-second spot, which can be seen in full over at Bloomberg, promotes Neos, a company that sells vape pens loaded with cannabis oil. Because Colorado's state law prohibits the depiction of marijuana products and imagery in advertisements, the spot itself is pretty mild. Even the narration is subtle: The words "cannabis" and "marijuana" aren't mentioned at all.
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Though ABC has blocked the ad for now, with support for legalization at an all-time high, your Bachelorette commercial breaks will likely be filled with cannabis promotions someday soon.
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Stephanie is an editorial assistant at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Modern Luxury Media.
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