Ohio Regulators Propose Ban on Cannabis Advertising

The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control has proposed a new rule package for the state’s cannabis industry, including a ban on cannabis advertising via methods “with a high likelihood of reaching persons under the age of 18,” Cleveland.com reports. The rules would prohibit cannabis companies from advertising on billboards, radio, television, and online. 

The rules would also allow the sale of pre-rolls and “super pre-rolls” — flower pre-rolls infused with concentrates — at state-licensed adult-use dispensaries. The rules prohibit any pre-roll products from being sold through the state’s medical cannabis dispensaries as the state bars patients from smokeable products.   

Tom Haren, a spokesman for the Ohio Cannabis Coalition, a cannabis industry trade group, told Cleveland.com that the organization is still reviewing the proposals.

“The industry continues to appreciate the speed in which the division is promulgating some of these final rules packages, and working with the industry to continue to transition away from medical-only rules, and to get these 10B (dual medical and recreational) dispensaries licensed and allowing us to serve the dual-use market.” — Haren to Cleveland.com 

The rules also outline how dispensaries can offer discounts, specifying that each dispensary must have a written discount policy and that any discount offered to adult-use customers must be available to medical cannabis patients, and that dispensary employees cannot receive any rebates or discounts. 

The rules also state that dispensaries must have a written return policy and that dispensaries must accept returns on defective products, or products that don’t match the item on the receipt or if the product is mislabeled.