Missouri reminds medical marijuana businesses about advertising limits

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Missouri’s medical marijuana regulatory agency recently warned MMJ dispensaries that they could be violating state rules by advertising sales events or discounts on products.

According to a July 9 email obtained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) told dispensaries it was aware of promotional events that had to “immediately” stop because they violated state regulations prohibiting dispensing “medical marijuana as part of a promotional event.”

“The Department views a promotional event as any activity, advertisement, or publicity designed to increase interest in purchasing medical marijuana or a particular product or brand of medical marijuana,” the email noted.

According to the newspaper, the email also said:

  • “Facilities are not allowed to advertise price discounts on a particular product,” and ads promoting holiday discounts are prohibited.
  • Discounts are allowed, but they can’t be advertised.
  • Dispensaries aren’t allowed to accept online cannabis orders that are routed through a third-party business.

Regulators warned they are keeping track of such violations.

The Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association responded to the email, asking the DHSS to waive the advertising rules.

The trade group called the rules “neither helpful for patients or dispensaries. If dispensaries want to discount prices on medical marijuana to Missouri patients, they should be able to promote those discounts.”