A New York lawmaker has introduced legislation to prohibit roadside cannabis advertising.
A8200, introduced by Assemblyman Scott Gray, R-Watertown, would prohibit cannabis advertisements on billboards or other roadside signs throughout the Empire State.
The bill, called the “Roadside Cannabis Advertising Prohibition Act,” outlines exemptions for signs cannabis dispensaries display on their premises.
New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which was enacted in 2021 to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state, included provisions that restricted cannabis advertisements to areas where people who already use cannabis were likely to see them, Adirondack Daily Enterprise reported. Those provisions have largely been unenforced, according to the news outlet, allowing dispensary advertisements to pop up across the state.
Gray said he saw a billboard in his home district of St. Lawrence County advertising cannabis with a “Got Weed?” slogan reminiscent of the “Got Milk?” dairy slogan, Adirondack Daily Enterprise reported, and he said he became concerned about this and other roadside ads that resemble advertising targeted at minors.
“A number of scientific studies have shown serious effects from marijuana on teenagers’ brains, and this legislation will ensure that products are not advertised in a harmful way, while protecting the rights of authorized establishments to have signage acknowledging the location of their venue,” Gray said.
A8200 was referred to the Economic Development Committee Oct. 27.
