New York Lays Out the Laws on Cannabis Marketing

New York’s Cannabis Control Board has decided on some things regarding the legal cannabis industry in the state. What it has decided on will make this new industry much different than many other places and the state’s long-standing illicit market. Current estimates project that this illegal market generates billions of dollars each year.

Now that both medical and recreational cannabis is legal in New York, there are some things that residents and visitors should know. The way a cannabis business, brand, or product can be marketed in New York is much different than in other places. Cannabis marketing in New York will be restricted from using neon colors, cartoons, and “stoner” slang. Let’s take a closer look at the regulations:

• Cannabis will be required to come in child-proof packaging
• THC and CBD products will have to be clearly marked
• A product containing THC is required to have a specific symbol letting consumers know
• THC products will also require stickers alerting consumers they must be 21 years of age or older to purchase
• Packaging is not allowed to in any way seem appealing to an underage crowd; celebrities promoting cannabis brands are not to look under the age of 21
• Cannabis businesses will not be allowed to promote their products as organic or make health claims like saying their products are safe
• There will be no knockoff cannabis candy bars mimicking the many popular varieties of candy available today
• Pictures of people vaping or smoking will not be permitted in marketing materials, nor will the use of terms such as “sticky icky,” “weed,” or “stoner”
• Any ads promoting cannabis are required to warn consumers about the potential risks of use
• Ads will not be allowed within 500 feet of playgrounds, libraries, childcare facilities, or schools

These regulations are not yet set in stone. Starting June 15, a 60-day period commenced, during which the public can comment and express thoughts, opinions, and concerns about the regulations. Once the 60 days are up, the regulations will take effect. Recreational cannabis is legal in the state of New York for adults 21 and up, but there is currently no way to purchase it legally. Legal recreational sales are rumored to start sometime in December, though this has not been confirmed.

Legal Cannabis Will Bring in Billions of dollars and Thousands of Jobs

In 2019, a report issued by Grand View Research predicted that the New York cannabis market would be worth an estimated $7.7 billion by as soon as 2025. Grand View Research Inc also said that the estimated value of the New York cannabis market in 2018 was around $1.8 billion. In just two and a half years, though, the legal cannabis industry in New York is expected to generate billions of dollars and more than 30,000 jobs.

This doesn’t even begin to touch on the number of jobs and the increase in spending across communities thanks to cannabis tourism. New York is a hotspot for tourism, and cannabis will only boost that industry ten-fold. In most places with legal cannabis, like Colorado, California, or Washington, you are not legally allowed to consume cannabis where someone else is smoking a cigarette. However, in New York, you are. Anywhere you can smoke a cigarette, you can smoke cannabis.

New York Is Catching Up and Leading the Way

In 1944, a very extensive report was issued by the New York Academy of Medicine. This report debunked the common “reefer madness” propaganda of the era but was largely ignored at the time. 77 years later, lawmakers have finally acknowledged the truth revealed in that report.

New York looks like it’s on track to have a successful launch of retail cannabis. The state is addressing concerns that other states are wrestling with, such as knockoff cannabis candy bars and marketing material that may attract a younger crowd. New York’s legal cannabis industry stands to do more than just bring in a substantial source of income and create jobs for the state of New York—it is also a prime example for the rest of America to follow.

New York is setting the stage to become the Amsterdam of America with cannabis lounges and open consumption permitted in designated areas. The cannabis vacation of your dreams could be waiting for you in New York City. Just remember to be cautious and avoid unlicensed retail cannabis storefronts. Now that you’ve got the scoop, is a 420-inspired trip to the Big Apple in your future?