Vapouround Magazine Canada VMC ISSUE 1 | Page 20

NEWS CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT and the CANNABIS ACT New legislation prevents brands naming products after an individual, character or animal By Patrick Griffin Companies using celebrity endorsement for their cannabis brands may have to find new ways to promote their products from now on. The new Cannabis Act says that promotional material for marijuana products must not include the depiction of “a person, character or animal, whether real or fictional.” This means that brands whose campaigns include celebrity names such as Marley Natural and Leafs By Snoop may find new challenges when it comes to marketing and promotion. A spokesperson for Health Canada told Marijuana Business Daily: “Under the [previous] regulations, a brand could be named after an individual but The Cannabis Act will prohibit this and other types of promotions.” The Act, which became law on October 17, serves to legalize recreational use of cannabis throughout Canada and comes at a time when celebrity endorsement within the industry is becoming increasingly popular. British Columbia-based Tilray, a global leader in medical cannabis research, cultivation, processing and distribution, said it plans to sell the Marley Natural line to recreational cannabis users in Nova Scotia and Ontario. Marley Natural products are “rooted in the life and legacy of Bob Marley,” the company said in a news release earlier this year. 20 | VMC Canopy Growth Corporation, from Ontario, has the exclusive Canadian rights for Snoop Dogg’s Leafs by Snoop marijuana brand and intends to sell the product to recreational consumers in Manitoba. It is still unclear how the strictly the new law will be applied. For example, companies may be able to stay on the right side of the legislation by naming a cannabis product after some “signature element” of a celebrity. Trina Fraser, a business lawyer at Brazeau Seller Law, asked: “What if you name a cannabis product after a band? Or a song, or book, or movie, or some other signature element of a celebrity’s public persona? “While such brands would be referable to the celebrity, they would arguably not include ‘depictions’ of the celebrity.” Rock band The Tragically Hip, from Kingston, Ontario, seem to be going down this route. They have invested in cannabis producer Newstrike to launch Up Cannabis as their official brand of medical marijuana. The company has said it also plans to take advantage of the new relaxed cannabis laws by seeking to expand its portfolio of products. In a recent letter to shareholders chief executive Jay Wilgar said the company was exploring “several opportunities” as it eyes long- term opportunities in the sector, including cannabis concentrates, vape pens, edibles and beverages.”