A bill is currently being considered by the Indiana House that would ban all marijuana advertising in the state. Originally focused on utility trailer sales, Senate Bill 73 was amended to include a prohibition on marijuana advertising. Rep. Jim Pressel, chair of the House Roads and Transportation committee, expressed concerns about the proliferation of marijuana billboards in his district in northern Indiana.
Under the updated SB 73, it would be illegal to advertise marijuana or other Schedule I drugs in Indiana. The Indiana attorney general would have the authority to sue advertisers for injunctions, civil penalties up to $15,000, and associated investigative costs. Pressel defended the bill by citing a federal appeals court decision that criminal activities do not have First Amendment protections for advertising.
The ban would go into effect upon the bill’s passage, while existing advertising contracts would be exempt. The committee accepted the edits by consent. Additionally, a Senate committee recently amended a house bill to also ban marijuana billboard ads. The proposed legislation comes as neighboring states have legalized marijuana, potentially prompting Hoosiers to seek out these products.
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