Cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) advertising is subject to strict federal, state, provincial, and publisher regulations. Approval depends on jurisdiction, audience eligibility, creative execution, and inventory selection. Even compliant creatives may be rejected at the publisher level.
Creative compliance
Cannabis and CBD creatives cannot include:
- Pricing, promotions, or distribution information.
- Calls to action related to purchasing, ordering, or delivery.
- Content that may appeal to young persons, including youth-oriented packaging or design.
- Testimonials or endorsements of any kind.
- Depictions of people, characters, or animals.
- Lifestyle associations such as glamour, excitement, vitality, risk, or daring.
- Cannabis brand elements in sponsorships of persons, entities, events, activities, or facilities.
- Cannabis brands, accessories, or names of people involved in cannabis businesses on sports or cultural facilities.
- Ads for edibles or concentrates.
- Discount codes.
- Any element implying distribution or sale, such as “Order Now” or “Shop Now” buttons.
| 🟪 Anyone who advertises through digital or telecommunications channels must take reasonable steps to prevent the promotion from being accessed by minors. |
Audience and geo compliance
Age Targeting
- United States: 21+
- Canada: 19+
Geo restrictions
Advertising must comply with regional laws:
- United States by state
- Canada by province
- Canada ad standards
- Canada Cannabis Act Prohibitions and permissions in the Cannabis Act and Regulation
Recommended brand safety and contextual settings
Brand Safety
- Use DoubleVerify to exclude mobile apps related to age and content advisory ratings, such as Everyone (4+), and apps rated for Tweens (9+), Teens (12+), and Mature (17+).
- Consider including the Drugs category under content and keyword targeting.
AdSquare
- Stores related to cannabis are possibly not measured.
Inventory eligibility
Exchanges: Campaigns must only target Sovrn, PubMatic, and Index Exchange. Final approval remains at the publisher’s discretion.
Whitelists: Refer to the Cannabis Accepted table. Whitelisting is optional but may limit reach.
Available Deals: Sovrn Cannabis Friendly Publishers (Cannabis Approved).
Declarations
- Advertiser declaration: Pharmaceutical and Healthcare
- Campaign declaration: Cannabis, or Marijuana, or CBD (if hemp-derived), or Hemp / CBD Products (depends on exchange taxonomy)
Supported and non-supported ad formats
Supported with restrictions
- DOOH only in legal regions and 19+ establishments such as bars and dispensaries.
Examples of rejected creatives
Features the sale of illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia.
Features the sale of drugs, pharmaceuticals, or drug paraphernalia that is illegal. The creative also shows a “Shop Now” button, which creatives cannot include as there can’t be any elements of distribution mentioned.
Depicts a person while referencing cannabis or CBD.
Shows cannabis use or mentions cannabis.
Point of contact
Contact your Account Manager for approval guidance or compliance support.
FAQs
How do geo restrictions affect cannabis and CBD campaign setup?
Geo restrictions affect cannabis and CBD campaigns by limiting delivery to legal states or provinces only. Marketers must align targeting with local laws, which vary by jurisdiction. Incorrect geo configuration can lead to rejection or suspension even when age targeting and creative rules are correct.
What happens if cannabis ads reach ineligible audiences?
If cannabis ads reach ineligible audiences, campaigns risk rejection, removal, or account enforcement actions. Regulations require reasonable steps to prevent access by minors. Failure to apply age and inventory safeguards may also increase publisher blocks and reduce future approval rates.
Why does whitelisting sometimes reduce cannabis campaign reach?
Whitelisting reduces cannabis campaign reach because it limits delivery to a smaller set of approved publishers. While whitelists can improve approval stability, they restrict scale. Marketers often balance reach and compliance by combining approved exchanges with selective whitelisting.
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