HB2179, a bill aimed at restricting marijuana advertising, sailed through the House, but now seems to be facing challenges in the Senate.
House Bill 2179 aims to restrict the advertising of marijuana, THC products, and intoxicating cannabinoids, to licensed marijuana establishments or nonprofit medical marijuana dispensaries. It sets clear advertising guidelines for these entities, including required language in all advertisements, limits on billboard advertising, and penalties for noncompliance. The bill also outlines timelines and deadlines for addressing violations. Notably, communication targeted at an established customer base is not considered advertising under this legislation. If approved, the law will take effect on July 1, 2026, and is protected under the Voter Protection Act (Prop 105). The bill is sponsored by Representative Bliss and amends Section 36-2859.
Similar to what happened in the House Health and Human Services Committee, images of advertisements featuring Santa Claus were presented once again—this time alongside examples of hemp beverages marketed to children, in addition to dispensaries and smoke shops.🤔 Pro-hemp lobbyists argued, as before, that the bill unfairly favors marijuana by allowing it to advertise THC while restricting hemp businesses from doing the same.
Senator Shope (R-LD16) proposed an amendment that would have carved out a niche for hemp beverages which pertains to a measure Shope is running this year SB1556.
The amendment was not voted on during the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, as confirmed by the official record on azleg.gov. It’s uncertain whether this was due to Senator Shope’s intermittent presence at the committee meeting or if HB2179 is facing increased scrutiny. Majority Leader Jenae Shamp’s (R-LD 29) comments when explaining her vote hinted that the bill could be encountering more resistance than anticipated.
Senate Majority Leader Shamp states:
So this is a really challenging issue and both sides convoluted the conversation.And there needs to be advertising restrictions on everything.There needs to be absolutely mandates that do not allow any kind of advertising to kids.But you know, you shouldn’t be able to walk into Circle K and buy any kind of a hemp product.But that doesn’t mean that part of the hemp product should be over under marijuana. It was divided on purpose.So we can actually sit down and have a conversation that it’s the whole industry, both sides of it as well as the beverage.I’m a no.
The measure narrowly passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee with a tight 4-3-0 vote. Several senators suggested that things could change when it reaches a floor vote. Next, HB2179 heads to the Rules Committee, followed by caucus, and then to the Committee of the Whole, where it might finally see that amendment adopted.