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Sponsor urges limited outdoor cannabis advertising to help social‑equity licensees; public‑health groups flag youth protections
Summary
Delegate Marlon Ampri proposed a bill to loosen some outdoor advertising restrictions for adult‑use cannabis businesses — especially social‑equity licensees — while preserving 500‑foot buffers around sensitive areas; industry and media outlets supported the change, public‑health groups urged caution.
Delegate Marlon Ampri told the Economic Matters Committee that House Bill 13‑77, the Equity in Cannabis Advertising Act, is intended to give social‑equity cannabis licensees the same opportunity to build local customer awareness that medical dispensaries previously enjoyed.
"We wanna make sure these new license holders can market themselves in a way that brings customers," Ampri said, emphasizing brand identification, neighborhood signage and protections that would keep advertisements at least 500 feet from primary and secondary schools, licensed childcare centers, playgrounds, libraries, public parks and substance‑use treatment facilities.
Operators and outdoor advertising firms endorsed the bill in testimony. Hope Wiseman, founder and CEO of Marion Main in Capitol Heights, said outdoor signage and brand visibility helped her business grow and that the measure would help new social‑equity licensees reach customers responsibly. A Clear Channel representative said the bill strikes a balance between guardrails and enabling legal businesses to advertise in restricted formats.
Public‑health advocates and other legislators asked whether the measure might increase youth exposure to cannabis marketing. Ampri and supporters stressed that the bill would not permit imagery that appeals to children, bright cartoon branding, or depictions of inebriation; they described the proposal as a way to shift consumers from illicit sources to licensed retailers by making legal options discoverable.
The sponsor said technical amendments were forthcoming to remove duplicative language and to ensure signs on licensed premises remain permitted. No committee vote was taken at the hearing.
What’s next: The bill sponsor and industry representatives said they would work with public‑health stakeholders and committee staff on amendments to narrow language and add enforceable protections for minors while preserving advertising channels for licensed social‑equity businesses.
