Arizona Legislates Against Using Santa Claus in Marijuana Ads
Arizona lawmakers are making moves to ensure the image of Santa Claus is not used in marijuana advertising, reminiscent of past efforts to eliminate Joe Camel from tobacco promotions. Governor Katie Hobbs has endorsed a new law that restricts how marijuana sellers can market their products, with an emphasis on preventing exposure to those under 21.
According to Rep. Selina Bliss, this legislation aims to prevent marijuana advertising from targeting minors. The law, passed by a substantial margin, prohibits the use of images such as toys, cartoons, and fictional characters like Santa Claus in advertisements.
Additionally, the law precludes the use of product names that mimic food or drink brands appealing to children, and bans advertising in certain public spaces such as airports, buses, and trains. Online advertising is also regulated: it is permitted only when the expected audience is composed of at least 73.6% adults aged 21 and over, a figure based on U.S. Census data and standards from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
This percentage is also applied to sponsorships of sporting events, which cannot be sponsored by marijuana retailers unless the audience is predominantly of legal age. Other restrictions include prohibiting billboards near sensitive areas like child care centers, churches, and schools.
Rep. Bliss emphasized the law’s focus on child protection, referencing her medical experience: “I, myself, as a nurse in the ER and the ICU have seen accidental poisonings… causing a child to have to go on a ventilator,” she stated. Gary Kirkilas, a Phoenix pediatrician, also supported the legislation, likening it to the Federal Trade Commission’s regulations on tobacco advertising aimed at children.
Arizona first legalized medical marijuana in 2010, and recreational use followed in 2020. The subsequent rise in advertising prompted concerns, as highlighted by Kirkilas with images of Santa Claus used in marijuana promotions. “Adults can do what they want to do,” Kirkilas remarked, “But I have absolutely no patience for somebody targeting youth in their advertising.”
Although similar efforts had failed in the past, this measure was successfully passed after lawmakers agreed to exclude hemp products with negligible psychoactive content from the law. Compliance with these new regulations is required by June 30, 2026, allowing businesses time to adjust.
