A Michigan city will restrict vape and marijuana advertising to ensure teens and children, which some city councilors fear could infringe on free speech.
A Michigan City Introduces a New Ordinance:
The Detroit, Michigan, City Council has approved a decision that the district will facilitate the preparation of proposed rules to amend the city code to restrict the advertising of marijuana and vape brands on some billboards.
In Detroit, alcohol and tobacco advertising is banned 1,000 inches from daycare centers, schools, libraries, parks, and other places. The City Council directed the legal department to develop laws that would extend the ban to marijuana and vape brands.
The ordinance restricts vaping and marijuana advertising
Councilman Scott Benson said,
- “For teens, we should avoid them falling into substance use problems because of marijuana.” There are more and more goods on the market now, and their ‘strength is getting higher and higher.'”
Earlier this year, City Councilwoman Angela Whitfield Calloway asked the Law Department to create a law that would ban or potentially limit marijuana advertising on Detroit billboards, saying it was “taking over our city.” Some marijuana shop operators argue that such restrictions could infringe on their freedom of speech.
Graham Anderson, City Legal Department (Graham Anderson) at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, which is why the city needs to pass these resolutions to reflect the importance of bylaws. He explained that the document explains why the city must “limit” the speech. The decision lays out several facts about marijuana and vapes, including that according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, youth use of marijuana has been at its highest level in the past 30 years.
Anderson said the legal department hoped to make “significant progress” during the parliamentary recess in late November to early January.
Councilman Coleman A. Young II was concerned about bylaws and decisions. He said he wanted to address the problem through education in the health sector rather than restrictions on advertising.
- “I think we have a better way to solve this problem. Frankly, I think what kids are exposed to on TV and the Internet is more pervasive and exciting.”
