Fed Health Official: Cannabis Industry Borrowing Marketing Tactics From Tobacco, Alcohol Industries

Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has raised concerns over the cannabis industry’s marketing strategies, drawing parallels with tactics used by the alcohol and tobacco industries.

In a blog post published last week, Volkow highlighted that older adults – specifically those aged 65 and above – are increasingly being “targeted” by advertisements promoting the therapeutic benefits of cannabis, a demographic showing the most rapid growth in usage.

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"Cannabis products are often sold in colorful packages that mimic kid-friendly snack foods, for example, making them appealing to children and to young people," Volkow said. "The legalization of cannabis by the states and the diversification of cannabis products have led to significant increases in the number of users and the amount of cannabis consumed by them in the U.S."

Cannabis Industry’s Marketing Echoes Past Practices

"Lessons learned from alcohol and tobacco are also being applied to the sale, marketing, and taxation of cannabis products in states that have legalized the drug for adult use, but policies vary widely by state,” Volkow said.

While youth usage rates have remained stable despite initial concerns, her primary focus is now on young adults aged 18-30 and the elderly, with a noticeable uptick in consumption in the latter group.

According to Volkow, "This older age group is being targeted with advertising touting cannabis' alleged therapeutic benefits. As expected, the expanded use of cannabis and the higher doses used have resulted in an increase in the number of individuals suffering from adverse health consequences from these exposures."

The NIDA director has previously expressed concerns over youth exposure to cannabis marketing, and while these fears haven't materialized as initially anticipated, the data suggests that older adults are being influenced by commercial messaging.

In addition, the Mexican-American psychiatrist called for more research to explore the risks and therapeutic applications of cannabis to inform policies that could help mitigate its harms and ensure safe access for therapeutic use.

Read Next:

• Cannabis And Seniors: New Study Finds ‘Sizable Reduction In Pain Severity,’ Improved General Health, Mood, Sleep
• Can THC Turn Back The Clock? Cannabis Reverses Brain Aging, Boosts Mental Capacity, New Study Suggests

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