The first TV commercial for recreational cannabis will not air after all

While Leafly had the right to a page ad in the New York Times, the first-ever TV commercial for recreational marijuana to air on an ABC network, was pulled last night for legal reasons.

Advertising for Neos, a supplier of’cannabis oil and vaporizer, was to be distributed to the Colorado where marijuana is legal for therapeutic and recreational use.
It showed images of young people in nightclubs or hiking in the mountains.

«You lead an adventurous life, always looking for new ways to decompress,» says the voiceover. «Now enjoy the best effects and smoke quietly with your vaporizer this summer». The spot ends with a campfire scene of campers playing guitar, and the tagline «A bold new way to relax. Neos, relax responsibly.»

At no point does the advertisement mention marijuana, and there are no images of cannabis or smokers. But for the federal government, which regulates the TV airwaves, cannabis is still illegal.

«Scripps has decided not to accept marijuana advertising at this time,» announced Valerie Miller, spokeswoman for E.W. Scripps Company, the chain's corporate owner. «We pride ourselves on being a free-speech company, but we are also concerned about the lack of clarity around the federal laws that regulate this type of advertising.»

«Channel7 has officially put all cannabis ads on hold until further notice, while ABC is investigating the legality of airing a substance considered illegal at the federal level,» Olivia Mannix reports to CNNMoney, the confounder of Cannabrand, the ad agency that produced the spot for Neos.

It's actually a regular problem for the cannabis industry in the U.S., legal in a recreational setting in Colorado, Washington, Alaska, and for medical use in 20 other countries. But local laws often clash with federal laws, which have not budged despite the relaxation of cannabis regulation. And it's not just advertising that's affected: banks, too, have to contend with federal laws.

Olivia Mannix concludes by saying that Colorado allows a marijuana TV ad to run if 70% of the audience is over 21, the legal age of majority in the US. The Neos ad was scheduled around the Jimmy Kimmel Live, where 97% of the audience is major according to Nielsen reports.

A commercial that finally went up in smoke!