Should California ban all ads for marijuana to protect children and teens? That’s the idea behind an op-ed in the Sacramento Bee, arguing that cannabis advertising—like all commercial marketing—can reach and influence kids even if it’s not directly targeting this segment of the population. Some cities and states are making efforts to curb such ads: Colorado, for example, bans cannabis companies from buying billboard ads, and the city of San Diego forbids marijuana billboards within 1,000 feet of schools, public parks, playgrounds and daycare centers. Today, however, pot ads are nearly ubiquitous in California—on TV and online, in newspapers and magazines. Instead of cannabis ads appearing everywhere, the op-ed concludes, we need warnings about the risks and dangers of marijuana.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden is doubling down on his marijuana policy that focuses on decriminalization rather than nationwide legalization. In a speech on racial equality and the economy, Biden said he would provide federal aid to states to accelerate expunging marijuana convictions, a process that can be lengthy and expensive for many.
And finally, two initiatives in California that would have legalized psychedelic mushrooms and hallucinogenic compounds have failed to collect enough signatures to make the November 2020 ballot. Supporters said the pandemic hurt the signature-gathering campaign, but perhaps California—which would have been the first jurisdiction to pass such legislation—has simply had enough with legal marijuana.