• All News
• Consumer
• Pro
• New Drugs
• Pipeline
• Clinical Trials
• FDA Alerts

Experts Warn Marijuana Ads Are Reaching Kids Through Social Media

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Feb 13, 2025.

By India Edwards HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Feb. 13, 2025 -- A legal loophole is allowing marijuana ads to slip past regulations and land right in front of kids on social media, a new report shows.

Although the federal Controlled Substances Act prohibits advertising the sale or use of marijuana through federal airwaves or across state lines, these rules haven’t stopped social media ads on cannabis websites from reaching youth of all ages who use screens, according to Alisa Padon, research director for the Prevention Policy Group, a health equity and prevention association in Berkeley, California.

“Businesses are allowed to make their own pages and then post ads on their feed. Youth are bypassing age restrictions and seeing the ads for products they’re not legally allowed to buy. They can like, comment and share those posts with their friends,” Padon told CNN.

“Research shows that type of engagement is related to an increased likelihood of wanting to use and using cannabis,” Padon added. “It’s a perfect storm, and regulators are doing nothing about it.”

A recent national survey found cannabis use continues to rise among teens and young adults:

• 7% of eighth graders reported using marijuana in the past year

• 16% of 10th graders and 26% of 12th graders also said they had used cannabis.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse warns that early cannabis use increases the risk of addiction.

What's more, early cannabis use can interfere with memory, cognition and brain growth at a critical time in a child’s natural development, pediatrician Dr. Megan Moreno, a professor and academic chair of the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, told CNN.

“There’s a dose response, so heavier users have longer-term effects, and there are concerns these developmental impacts may not reverse after abstinence,” Moreno said.

“It’s the wild west out there,” she added. “If you put an ad on your own little marijuana website, and it spreads virally through social media, there are no regulations against that.”

Experts tell CNN the marijuana industry has adapted quickly to marketing restrictions, taking a page from the playbook of alcohol and tobacco companies.

“The marketing that we’re seeing in California for cannabis looks just like the marketing that is nationwide for alcohol and for e-cigarettes,” Padon said.

A study on marijuana advertising in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington co-authored by Moreno found that marijuana businesses use young-looking employees, known as “budtenders,” to promote their products, CNN reported.

"Budtender is a riff on bartender. Advertisers tend to photograph budtenders who look like they are 16,” Moreno said.

“Also, the crossover between food and tobacco industry advertising and cannabis marketing really stands out -- both use enticing color schemes and flavors,” she added. “And they are using the alcohol industry’s playbook to send messages hinting it’s sexy to use marijuana.”

In a just-released study of 409 California youth, Padon found that ads featuring bright colors, food references and attractive young people were especially appealing to teens.

Tying cannabis to sports and being active is another popular theme among youth, according to Moreno.

“Teens are in that phase of identity development trying to figure out who they are," she told CNN. "So if part of an adolescent’s identity is a sport or being outdoorsy, the cannabis product is tying into something that’s valuable to them.”

The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) responded to the criticisms in a statement, saying that its members support “reasonable restrictions” to ensure ads do not target or appeal to minors.

“We are committed to working with regulators and policymakers to develop and refine responsible advertising practices that safeguard public health and safety,” the association’s co-founder and CEO, Aaron Smith, said in an email to CNN.

Smith added that the association supports “the ability for the legal cannabis market to replace underground operators who have no incentive to protect minors.”

While more states have legalized marijuana, studies suggest that cannabis-related health risks are rising.

• Daily or near-daily marijuana use in adults has tripled in California over the past decade.

• Marijuana use during pregnancy nearly doubled in the same period.

• Cannabis-related ER visits increased by 70% among older adults from 2015-2019.

Padon, meanwhile, pointed out the special risks to very young children. Some edibles are packaged to look nearly identical to candy and chips.

“Nationwide, there have been skyrocketing rates of accidental ingestion of gummies and chocolate edibles among very small kids because they look like candy," she said.

Calls to poison control centers for kids 5 and younger who consumed tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) edibles surged 1,375% over four years, CNN reported.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that young children who ingest THC edibles may have trouble walking, sitting up, or breathing.

In response to the trends, some cities have raised marijuana taxes to fund youth prevention programs.

“We generally think taxation is a good thing,” Padon told CNN. “The price of marijuana rises, which makes it harder for youth to purchase it. We also encourage any revenue to go toward youth services and prevention programs in the community.”

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Posted February 2025

More news resources

• FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
• Daily MedNews
• News for Health Professionals
• New Drug Approvals
• New Drug Applications
• Drug Shortages
• Clinical Trial Results
• Generic Drug Approvals

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.