Cannabis Billboards: The Next Frontier In Legal Weed Marketing

Drivers cruising along a major Interstate highway in Indiana were apparently surprised, though some were likely delighted, to see billboards advertising cannabis dispensaries just across the state line in Illinois, where weed is fully legal. 

What happened: Terrabis, a Missouri-based cannabis company, opened a weed shop in mid-June in Grayville, Illinois, a town about 10 miles from the Indiana border. Shortly after, the company placed a billboard just inside Indiana, visible along I-64, a major east–west highway.   

Antonio DeRose, a spokesperson for Terrabis, told local TV that there are no laws on the books that strictly prohibit this type of advertising in Indiana as long as the cannabis products are legal in the state where they're being sold.

“We didn’t have any legal obstacles getting the billboard set up in Indiana. I know we are not the first dispensary to have a billboard in Indiana,” DeRose said. “Because we are the largest dispensary in southeast Illinois, we did want to market the dispensary along I-64, because it’s so heavily trafficked and we see so many visitors from out of state.”

Billboards And Cannabis Advertising 

Because there’s no federal policy, cannabis advertising regulations vary across the U.S., with some states prohibiting advertising altogether and others putting forth minimal documented regulations. A study done at the University at Buffalo found that among the U.S. states that allow some form of cannabis advertising, 74% explicitly prohibit targeting or appealing to minors and 68% prohibit making false or misleading claims. Just over half of the states have restrictions on where advertisements can be placed, and 42% have restrictions on building signage. 

Meanwhile, Hoosiers Want Weed 

“A week ago, we reported that nearly twice as many Indiana residents were making purchases at the dispensary as Illinois residents,” De Rose said.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) said earlier this year he would not sign any legislation legalizing marijuana in Indiana until it is decriminalized by the federal government. 

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Photo: YouTube