Cannabis Commercials

by Chris Bodenner

The first ads for medical marijuana hit the airways:

The 30-second ad, paid for by Sacramento-based "CannaCare" and produced by [Fox affiliate] KTXL, shows various people delivering testimonials on the benefits of marijuana when used for medicinal purposes. Text at the bottom of the advertisement indicates that marijuana can be used in the relief of many diseases and illnesses, including diabetes, HIV, Hepatitis C and hypertension among others. Marijuana is not shown in the advertisement, and the word "marijuana" is never used. Instead, patients and the ad itself refer to pot as "cannabis."

Another Fox affiliate, in Rhode Island, tackles the controversy in the news segment above. The female host makes a pretty strong case against the ads by criticizing the direct marketing any prescription drugs, whether they be pills or plants.