WASHINGTON DC-NAB applauded the passage of the Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, which included language preventing the FCC from taking administrative action against broadcasters who accept cannabis advertising under the law of the state or jurisdiction in which the station is licensed.
Many states and local jurisdictions have legalized cannabis, but broadcasters have been unwilling to accept cannabis ads because the substance is still federally illegal and could expose them to FCC action.
If the Senate passes the bill with the current provisions, stations could take those ads, which previously only appeared in other media.
“For too long, local broadcasters have been stuck in regulatory purgatory due to conflicting federal and state cannabis laws,” said NAB spokesman Alex Siciliano. We are delighted to see the Chamber taking action, but broadcasters will continue to work with policymakers for a permanent resolution of this competitive disparity for the benefit of consumers.
