N.J. weed companies prepare for advertising restrictions

As New Jersey steps in line to make recreational marijuana legal, legislators and businessmen are already placing restrictions on advertisements promoting the drug.

The bill passed N.J. Senate and Assembly committees on Nov. 26, according to an article from nj.com, but is still in progress to pass the full legislature. Marijuana companies across the state and the country are accepting regulations because they want to change people’s perception of the cannabis industry. Instead of being looked down upon, they want to promote responsible recreational use of marijuana.

“Tobacco, alcohol and gambling ads are restricted, and following that road map would be advantageous,” Scott Rudder, president of the New Jersey Cannabusiness Association said, according to a Jan. 4 article from philly.com.

The restrictions aim to prevent citizens under the age of 21 from using recreational marijuana. According to philly.com, “Labels would have to state that cannabis must be kept out of the reach of children, that a consumer should not drive or operate heavy machinery while using cannabis, and that ‘the intoxicating effects of this product may be delayed by two or more hours.’”

Business owners and legislators both believe that the restrictions are necessary, at least until the bill is debated later this month. If recreational marijuana use becomes legal, there will be an increase in interest for the product. Creating these restrictions will avoid exposure of the product to those under the age of 21.

“We see the business opportunity in legalizing cannabis, but we don’t know the unintended consequences,” Lyneir Richardson, director of the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at Rutgers Business School-Newark said, according to an article from philly.com. “We should get the positive benefits from legalizing marijuana without stepping on the land mines.”