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Medical vs. adult-use dispensary marketing in New Jersey: What’s the difference?

Medical cannabis dispensaries faced different types of restrictions before adult-use cannabis was passed. For example, medical cannabis dispensaries were not allowed to advertise their prices for quite some time. This particular law is no longer the case.

The laws detailed below are specifically for “personal use cannabis,” which is how New Jersey refers to adult-use cannabis or recreational cannabis. Although these rules are dictated for personal use cannabis, they’re a good rule of thumb for medical cannabis dispensaries getting their start in the Garden State.

Cannabis marketing rules in New Jersey:

15 things you need to know

As of now, New Jersey’s cannabis marketing rules are not as restrictive or as detailed as they are in other states. The more extensive requirements set out in the law apply to product labeling. Overall advertising is covered under a broad set of guidelines as set out in NJAC 17:30-17:1 and 17:2. Those guidelines are:

  1. Advertising is permitted, as long as the company has “reasonable evidence” that at least 71.6 percent of the target audience is aged 21+. (Use an age gateway on your site!)
  2. Advertisers must be careful to ensure that no element of the ad looks like it may appeal to anyone under the age of 21. Skip the bright colors, cartoons, and young people in your ads.
  3. Companies must state that they are licensed in New Jersey.
  4. Ads cannot air on radio or TV between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. – late night only!
  5. Online advertising is allowed with no time constraints.
  6. No advertising in any form can appear within 200 feet of a school. We recommend extra caution and to extend this to any place where children gather.
  7. Advertisers cannot geo-target devices without safeguards in place to ensure that only those 21+ are being targeted. Many advertisers who cater to the cannabis space have safeguards in place to prevent this.
  8. No billboards are allowed for plant-touching entities unless the billboard is the property of the license holder.
  9. Ads are restricted in arenas, stadiums, and some casino or gambling areas.
  10. Ads cannot guarantee product safety or suggest products are safe because of lab testing.
  11. Ads cannot disparage another cannabis brand. They also cannot imply that one cannabis brand is safer or more effective than another, unless clinical testing has been performed and scientific evidence can be shown.
  12. Scientific studies cannot be used to exaggerate effects or claims about a cannabis product.
  13. Prices can be listed on the dispensary’s website.
  14. Records must be kept indicating that compliance was met.
  15. Advertising must adhere to any local laws.

In addition, cannabis products must be advertised with the following warning:

“This product contains cannabis. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of the reach of children. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of this product, including for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning on becoming pregnant. Do not drive a motor vehicle or operate heavy machinery while using this product.”

Cannabis clients we’ve worked with in New Jersey

Develop your cannabis marketing strategy with proud New Jersey natives

Find your customers, reach ‘em, and engage ‘em with CannaContent’s full suite of complementary digital marketing services.

Content marketing

Content marketing strategies introduce your company to New Jerseyans and encourage them to take the next step in your marketing funnel, whether that’s to shop your menu, download a case study, or schedule a consultation. Pair those powerful pieces with cutting-edge SEO strategy, and you have a content marketing strategy that’s ready to rock your customers’ socks off.

At CannaContent, award-winning former journalists take the lead on your editorial strategy, combining their years in the newsroom with brand development and management to make content that sounds like your brand and reverberates with your target audience. There’s a reason our clients routinely appear at the top of search results — and their content stands strong, even as search engines evolve.

  • Content produced with an unrelenting focus on quality
  • Educate and inform customers while feeding SEO strategy
  • Develop thought leadership in the cannabis space

Search engine optimization + local SEO

“Dispensary near me” is one of the first things your customers are going to Google if they want to buy weed. And in the ancillary space for professionals like application consultants and attorneys, their specialized, state-level knowledge makes a difference in who they hire. Reach those motivated folks with a strong SEO strategy that hyper-focuses on reaching the prospects most likely to turn into returning customers.

  • Target dispensary customers in your immediate service area
  • Send customers to your website and not to a third-party listing service
  • Drive qualified traffic that converts to leads

Social media management

Social media marketing can feel like navigating potholes: lots of swerving and maybe a little bit of prayer thrown in the mix. It doesn’t have to be this way — and it shouldn’t be this way. With compliant content and a concrete plan, social media can move from a PITA (pain in the ass) to a PIZZA — a delicious piece of your larger marketing whole.

  • Share content that’s both engaging and fully compliant with platform terms of service
  • Connect with cannabis influencers and changemakers in your New Jersey community
  • Fully managed calendars, content support, and advisory services available

Brand identity development

One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a new business is developing a logo, and nothing else, when you start your business. The truth is, a logo is just the tip of the branding iceberg. Getting your branding done right with cannabis marketing experts who can create a brand identity that reverberates for years to come.

  • Look polished and perfect in front of your target audience
  • Create the building blocks for brand recognition and customer loyalty
  • Build brand assets that support your company well into the future

Web design and development

Developing a website is like building a house. A strong foundation withstands the test of time, with plenty of room to redecorate and easy ways to expand as you grow. Hyper-fast load times ensure your site goes 90 in a 65. Designed and built with SEO best practices and ADA recommendations in mind, our sites are easy to navigate and understand, which means they resonate with your customers. And we’ll have you up and running in no time — we know time is of the essence and move at your pace.

All website design and development packages include SEO analysis and all the content you need to get started, too!

  • Create a fast-loading, easy-to-navigate site your customers love to visit
  • Establish a strong online “home base” for current and potential customers
  • Design and content that converts curious onlookers into customers

Our clients are talking! Here’s what they’re saying:

Stella and her team at CannaContent were truly incredible to work with. Early on in our project, we had a deep conversation that helped define the scope of our project and helped us all envision exactly what type of website content we would end up with. Stella and her team dove deep, using a very collaborative approach to truly understand our business and find the right way to describe what we do in a way that is compelling for customers and drives traffic to our site. I was extremely appreciative of her patience in my many revisions and hours spent making sure everything looked just right, and her team did the same for us. I highly recommend CannaContent for any project!
Mark R. Waller, CPA
Co-founder and Managing Partner,
Morem & Waller, CPAs
Working with the CannaContent team has been an absolute delight. They are not just incredibly approachable and receptive, but their intelligence shines through their insightful strategies and solutions. Their consistently fantastic work reflects their dedication and expertise, making our collaboration a true pleasure.
Jill Conforti
Marketing Manager, The Travel Agency
Brand awareness is important from day one – especially digitally through SEO and social media awareness. True Labs decided to partner with CannaContent to help us with this effort. Through a combination of website optimization for SEO, blogs, social media posts, and newsletters, CannaContent helped True Labs move to the top search results and gain digital presence and brand awareness not only in our state of New Jersey, but nationally! We couldn’t be happier with the results that the CannaContent team unlocked for True Labs!
Sarah Ahrens
CEO, True Labs for Cannabis
As an emerging provisionary center in Michigan we have needed a lot of help and guidance regarding best practices in the marketing sphere of cannabis. We have been very lucky to have a team at CannaContent leading us through these harrowing waters. They have been incredibly supportive and available for us. The team keeps us on track with content schedules and brings in new ideas that we otherwise wouldn't have thought to utilize. One on one both Stella and Xavier have gone above and beyond to help our team with the support and guidance we've needed.
Mikey Winslow
General Manager, Iconic Wellness and Provisioning
During my time as Vice President of Marketing for Ethos Cannabis, CannaContent was an indispensable partner in developing a highly informative and robust library of educational material. Their work was critical in providing well-researched and clearly written articles to our patients and customers that gave them the knowledge they needed to make the best possible choices about how cannabis related to their health and wellness. That content library remains an exceptional resource that can help people make informed decisions about cannabis well into the future.
Mike Bibbey
Former Vice President of Marketing, Ethos Cannabis
If you’re trying to get your brand to stand out, CannaContent has your back. They land your brand voice every time in the content they create. Consider them as the trusted partners that truly act as an extension of your team in bringing your campaign from ideation to execution.
Kierston Powell
Cannabis Marketing Strategist
CannaContent transformed my branding dreams into reality. I love the work they've done for Pretty Pipe Shop! Their team is made of dedicated professionals who are truly committed to helping their clients grow.
Jessie Gill
Founder, PrettyPipeShop.com
CannaContent was a proactive strategic partner that regularly met with the Ethos marketing team to brainstorm and strategize new ways to educate our patients and customers while promoting Ethos’ brand as a reliable, trusted source of information on all things cannabis. They became an essential extension of our team and consistently added value each step of the way with their expert recommendations and insight.
Mike Bibbey
Former Vice President of Marketing, Ethos Cannabis

FAQ about cannabis marketing in New Jersey

Can you advertise cannabis in New Jersey?

Yes! Your advertising plans have to adhere to the rules created by the state, and you have to adequately track and log that your activities are only targeting adults. As long as you meet those criteria, you can advertise cannabis in New Jersey.

Is it legal to market cannabis in New Jersey?

Yes, it’s legal to market cannabis in New Jersey! As long as your marketing plans respect the rules as set out in New Jersey’s regulations and you work within the terms and conditions set out by social media platforms and other advertising channels, you can market cannabis.

What do dispensaries need to know before marketing in New Jersey?

Dispensaries have to keep an eye on the rules set out by New Jersey while ensuring they are taking advantage of as many ways to advertise as possible. Whether you’re opening for the first time or revamping your marketing program, here’s what you need to do as you set up your marketing plan:

  • Make sure your brand is fully developed
  • Build a user-friendly, fast-loading, eye-catching website that aligns with your brand
  • Hire an SEO-friendly menu provider
  • Set up a loyalty program and decide how you want to use it
  • Create email marketing and text message marketing programs
  • Set up ways to collect and showcase dispensary reviews
  • Collect customer information in as many ways as possible
  • Focus on local SEO to draw customers within driving distance of your dispensary
  • Create good content that both helps with SEO and you can use to educate customers
  • Consider engaging public relations to build relationships with your local community
  • Decide which social media channels are best for you and ensure you have a process for creating and sharing content
  • Think of out-of-the-box, compliant ways to advertise to the community
  • Consider the value of programmatic advertising

Can New Jersey dispensaries advertise sales?

Yes, New Jersey dispensaries are allowed to advertise sales to their customers.

When did New Jersey legalize medical cannabis?

New Jersey legalized medical cannabis in 2008.

When did New Jersey legalize adult-use cannabis?

New Jersey legalized adult-use cannabis by ballot referendum in November 2020, and the program went into effect in March 2021.

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