Washington lawmakers are considering a statewide ban on billboard advertising for licensed marijuana stores.
Members of the House Commerce and Gaming Committee this week said they were concerned with the proliferation of marijuana billboards, particularly in urban areas. However, representatives of the billboard industry argued legal marijuana businesses have a right to promote their products, adding that pot stores already can’t advertise on television or radio because of federal restrictions.
Washington already places strong restrictions on what the stores can say on the billboards – basically the name, the location, and the fact that buyers must be over 21. The state, the marijuana businesses, and others negotiated restrictions on billboards to keep them from advertising to minors. Store owners say those restrictions went into effect in 2018 and should be given a chance to work.
The committee will decide whether to send the bill to the full House in the coming weeks. (Spokesman-Review)
