Limits on marijuana advertising land Colorado in court

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Limits on marijuana advertising land Colorado in court

BY KEITH COFFMAN
DENVER Wed Feb 12, 2014 7:15pm EST

(Reuters) - Two publications have sued Colorado in federal court over restrictions that prohibit the state's legalized recreational marijuana industry from advertising on television, radio, online or in most print publications.

High Times magazine, which caters to marijuana enthusiasts, and Westword, a Colorado alternative weekly newspaper, said in a suit filed this week in U.S. District Court in Denver that the rules were "unjustifiably burdensome" and violate free speech rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

"Government restrictions on commercial speech that concerns lawful activity and is not misleading violate the First Amendment," the complaint said.

Under Colorado law, recreational marijuana shops cannot advertise on television and radio, over the Internet, or in print publications unless they can establish that no more than 30 percent of the targeted audience is under the age of 21.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-usa-colorado-marijuana-idUSBREA1C01E20140213

[Politicalboi]

1. A few years ago

When I lived in Bakersfield Ca there were some pot commercials on TV. And we only have for medical reasons, not all the way legal yet.

[Bennyboy]

2. Lawsuits will be common place...

even though the CO law is well defined, there will be many many many lawsuits filed over all kinds of things such as this.

[RainDog]

3. those two would seem to fit the over 21 demographic

I wonder if they're just testing the law - I can't imagine anyone thinking an alt newspaper and High Times are geared toward teenagers.

[Travis_0004]

4. Cigerette companies have not been allowed certain types of advertising for a while

I assume they would have sued at one point (and can afford better lawyers), so I would find it tough to believe there is not at least some case law already on this subject.