Cannabis ads could soon be on TV and radio — here’s why

Through Nina Zdinjak

The House Appropriations Committee recently passed a bill with a provision that would prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from penalizing broadcasters for advertising cannabis products in states with legal marijuana markets, the Media Post reported.

Right now, most TV and radio stations in states where cannabis is legal don’t accept ads from marijuana companies. Cable channels, the internet, social media platforms, billboards, satellite and print media all accept weed-related advertising. Why is that?

Photo by Nico De Pasquale Photography/Getty Images

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TV and radio stations operate under FCC licenses and federal laws that classify cannabis as a Schedule I drug with no accepted medicinal value and high potential for abuse in the same category as heroin, although the two substances are not comparable.

Because of this, local television stations could risk losing their license or being charged with a felony if they break federal laws. And when you consider that cannabis advertising is estimated to total $18.5 billion in 2022.

The 2023 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill presented by the committee on Friday reads as follows:

“…none of the funds made available to the Federal Communications Commission in this Act3 may be used in relation to a license for radio or television broadcasters to refuse the license, not to renew it for a full term or to impose conditions on refusing its license Requesting license or transfer of direct or indirect control of the licensee, requesting an early renewal request, or imposing a forfeiture penalty because the broadcaster has broadcast or otherwise transmitted advertisements of (a) a business that sells cannabis or cannabis-derived products, the sale thereof or distribution in the state, political subdivision of a state or Indian country in which a station’s licensing community is located, or (b) a company that sells hemp, hemp-derived CBD products, or other cannabinoid products Hemp.”

Senders are enthusiastic

“We are pleased to see that this bipartisan language has made headway in the House today,” National Association of Broadcasters spokesman Alex Siciliano said in a statement. “With the vast majority of states having legalized cannabis in some form, today marks a long-overdue step to finally allow broadcasters the same treatment regarding cannabis advertising that other forms of media have enjoyed for years.”

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The measure must be approved by the House and Senate and, if passed, renewed each year.

“While we welcome today’s advances, local broadcasters will continue to work with all policymakers to more comprehensively resolve these competitive differences and in support of our unique service to local communities,” said Siciliano.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.