As we inch closer to legal recreational cannabis in Canada, the nation’s marijuana legislation is becoming more clear … and more strict. When recreational cannabis hits the shelves in September, Canadian law will prohibit celebrities from endorsing cannabis. Here’s what the administration cleared up about legalization this weekend.
Celebrities Cannot Endorse Cannabis
The law is pretty firm on that. Member of Parliament Bill Blair, a force behind Canada’s legislation, told The West Block, “The law is explicit and clear, that celebrity endorsement, lifestyle advertising is not allowed with cannabis.”
Instead of mirroring alcohol legislation, the government aims to avoid leniency with marijuana laws. Former Toronto Police Chief Mr. Blair continued, “It’s not the government’s intention to promote the use of this drug … We are not allowing the heavy marketing that we’ve seen with other products, alcohol for example, and so there will be severe restrictions on things like celebrity endorsement and [company] sponsorship.”
In provinces where the government controls all liquor sales, it will also sell all legal marijuana. This means that advertising marijuana would be government promotion of its own product.
Is This Hypocrisy?
If Canadian law will prohibit celebrities from endorsing cannabis, shouldn’t alcohol legislation do the same? Many critics of Canadian cannabis legislation say that it discriminates against a substance that, by its own definition, will be legal.
The Canadian advocacy group Consumer Choice Center has vocally criticized Canada’s packaging laws. Not only do they restrict celebrity and lifestyle endorsements, but they limit necessary brand information. Since all packaging will appear the same, consumers won’t be able to distinguish between brands, which often contain important product information. Some products aim to relieve pain, put