TL;DR: Cannabis is meant to be enjoyable for adults. But when products start looking like candy or cartoons, the line gets blurry. Tobacco’s history shows that even the appearance of marketing to kids can trigger harsh regulations. If cannabis wants a sustainable future, it has to prove it can draw that line for itself.
Cannabis has always been fun. It is part of what makes it powerful, what makes it stick in culture. But fun becomes a problem when it starts creeping into the territory of kid-friendly. That is the line the industry needs to pay attention to, now more than ever.
History has already shown what happens when that line gets crossed. Big Tobacco learned it the hard way: even the appearance of marketing to children is enough to trigger a backlash that can reshape an entire industry.
The Ghost of Joe Camel
Once upon a time, tobacco companies leaned hard into youth culture. Joe Camel, candy cigarettes, neon packaging, and bubblegum-flavored smokes were all part of the playbook. By the early 1990s, research showed that six-year-olds recognized Joe Camel almost as easily as Mickey Mouse. Camel’s share among underage smokers soared.
The public response was swift. By 1998, the Master Settlement Agreement banned cartoons in tobacco ads, restricted sponsorships, and wiped Joe Camel off the map. The lesson was clear: once the public believes you are targeting kids, you do not just lose credibility, you lose control over your own marketing future.
Cannabis’ Candy Problem
Today, echoes of that playbook are showing up again. In 2023, the FTC and FDA issued joint warning letters after finding THC edibles packaged to mimic Skittles, Oreos, Nerds Rope, Doritos, and Cheetos. Regulators deemed the practice reckless and illegal, since children could easily mistake these products for ordinary snacks.
In California, …
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Author: Javier Hasse / High Times
