New CIC guide to cannabis marketing launched
A new guide to marketing and promotion in the cannabis space has been published by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC).
Entitled ‘Promoting cannabis: current rules & regulations’, the report aims to demystify the regulatory landscape around how prescription medicines and consumer CBD products can and cannot be promoted.
A section of the report also assesses each type of promotional activity, using a traffic light system. This indicates whether an activity is ‘clearly disallowed’, ‘clearly allowed’, or when organisations should ‘seek professional advice’.
It also includes useful examples of the types of advertising in the consumer CBD and nicotine vaping industry which have fallen short of regulator expectations.
Report author Mark Dickinson of CannDo Consulting commented:
“Navigating the complex array of advertising regulators and codes can be tricky for businesses in the cannabis industry.
“However, it is very important that supply chain businesses understand and follow the rules around advertising and promotion.
“This CIC report intends to demystify the rules, by providing businesses with guidance on what to consider when undertaking promotional activity.”
CIC Standards Working Group Chair Elisabetta Faenza added:
“As a new industry it is crucial that participants in the medicinal cannabis and consumer CBD supply chains understand and follow the rules governing their promotion.
“This guide provides essential and clear guidance, and helps explain what can be a confusing area.”
The report highlights some of the nuances around promotional activity in the sector. For instance, prescription cannabis clinics can promote the services they provide, but at the same time cannot make any claims about the products they prescribe.
Many types of promotion and wording are reviewed in the guide, with the majority considered non-compliant. However, the report notes that media relations is not considered a form of advertising, and therefore will generally fall outside of Advertising Standards Agency rules.
To access the report, please see here – https://www.cicouncil.org.uk/app/uploads/2024/04/FINAL_Promoting-cannabis-current-rules-and-regulations.pdf
