Arizona 2025 2025 Regular Session

Arizona House Bill HB2179 Comm Sub / Analysis

Filed 02/18/2025

                      	HB 2179 
Initials AG/BG 	Page 1 	House Engrossed 
☒ Prop 105 (45 votes)     ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes)      ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note 
 
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Fifty-seventh Legislature 
First Regular Session 
House: HHS DP 12-0-0-0  
 
HB 2179: marijuana; advertising; restrictions 
Sponsor: Representative Bliss, LD 1 
House Engrossed 
Overview 
Establishes advertising restrictions and warning label requirements for marijuana products 
and marijuana paraphernalia effective on July 1, 2026. Contains a Proposition 105 clause.  
History 
Advertising is any public communication in any medium that offers or solicits a commercial 
transaction involving the sale, purchase or delivery of marijuana or marijuana products 
(A.R.S. § 36-2850).  
A marijuana establishment or nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary may engage in 
advertising. An advertising platform may host advertising only if the following apply: 1) the 
advertising is authorized by a marijuana establishment or nonprofit medical marijuana 
dispensary; and 2) the advertising accurately and legibly identifies the marijuana 
establishment or nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary responsible for the advertising 
content by name and license number or registration number.  
Any advertising involving direct, individualized communication or dialogue must use a 
method of age affirmation to verify that the recipient is 21 years of age or older before 
engaging in communication or dialogue. User confirmation, birth date disclosure or similar 
registration methods may be used to affirm age.  
A marijuana establishment or nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary that violates these 
measures is subject to disciplinary action by the Arizona Department of Health Services 
(DHS). Enforced by the Attorney General (AG), an individual or entity other than a 
marijuana establishment or nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary that advertises 
marijuana or marijuana products must pay a civil penalty of $20,000 per violation to the 
Smart and Safe Arizona Fund in addition to any other penalty imposed by law (A.R.S. 36-
2859). 
Marijuana establishments may not do any of the following: 
1) package or label marijuana or marijuana products in a false or misleading manner; 
2) manufacture or sell marijuana products that resemble the form of a human, animal, 
insect, fruit, toy or cartoon; or 
3) sell or advertise marijuana or marijuana products with names that resemble or 
imitate food or drink brands marketed to children or advertise marijuana or 
marijuana products to children (A.R.S. 36-2860).  
 
    	HB 2179 
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Provisions 
1. Specifies that only a marijuana establishment or nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary 
may advertise or authorize advertising for marijuana, products containing 
tetrahydrocannabinol or intoxicating cannabinoids in accordance with the advertising 
restrictions. (Sec. 1)  
2. Allows an individual or entity that sells marijuana paraphernalia to advertise or 
authorize advertising for marijuana paraphernalia in accordance with the marijuana 
advertising restrictions. (Sec. 1) 
3. Prohibits a marijuana establishment, nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary or an 
individual or entity that sells marijuana paraphernalia from doing any of the following:  
a) advertising marijuana or marijuana products, including marijuana paraphernalia, to 
individuals who are under 21 years of age, including advertising products with names 
that resemble or imitate food or drink brands that are marketed to children; 
b) advertising with images or likeliness of toys, cartoons and animated or fictional 
characters, including Santa Claus, that are designed to appeal to or encourage 
individuals who are under 21 years of age;  
c) advertising with images or visual representations of the consumption of the 
marijuana or marijuana product;  
d) advertising with the potency or tetrahydrocannabinol levels of the marijuana or 
marijuana product; 
e) advertising in a medium that specifically appeals to individuals who are under 21 
years old such that the advertising has a special attractiveness to individuals who are 
under 21 years old beyond general attractiveness for individuals over the age of 21;  
f) advertising at, on or within airports, public transportation shelters, public buses, 
public trains, public shuttles or public trams; and  
g) advertising any health-related statement or statement regarding the effects of 
marijuana consumption that is known to be untrue. (Sec. 1) 
4. Prohibits a marijuana establishment, nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary, individual 
or entity that sells marijuana paraphernalia from doing any of the following unless at 
least 73.6% of the audience is expected to be at least 21 years of age or the sponsored 
organization provides written approval: 
a) advertising electronically via social media or on a website; and 
b) sponsoring any sporting event (Sec. 1) 
5. Requires all advertising for marijuana or marijuana products to contain the conspicuous 
and legible warning: "Do not use marijuana if you are under 21 years of age or pregnant. 
Keep marijuana out of reach of children." (Sec. 1) 
6. Requires all printed warnings for marijuana or marijuana products to occupy at least 10% 
of the advertising area and be in black font on a white background. (Sec. 1) 
7. Mandates billboard advertisement warnings to be in a type size that is at least 10% of the 
largest type used in the advertisement. (Sec. 1) 
8. Prohibits a billboard advertisement for marijuana or marijuana products to be placed 
within 1,000 radial feet of any: 
a) child care center; 
b) church; 
c) substance abuse recovery facility;    	HB 2179 
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d) public park or playground; or 
e) public or private school that provides instruction to students in preschool, 
kindergarten programs or any of grades 1-12. (Sec. 1) 
9. Provides a person in violation of the billboard advertising restrictions 30 days to comply 
with all requirements, upon notification of noncompliance by the AG. (Sec. 1) 
10. Clarifies that for circumstances beyond the control of the billboard operator that may 
prevent the removal within the 30-day timeframe, the advertisement must be removed 
as soon as it is safely and legally possible. (Sec. 1) 
11. Subjects a person who does not comply with the billboard advertising requirements to 
civil penalties and disciplinary action. (Sec. 1) 
12. Adds that an advertising platform may host advertising only if the advertising contains 
a printed warning that complies with the marijuana label requirement. (Sec. 1) 
13. States that a marijuana establishment, nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary or an 
individual or entity that sells marijuana paraphernalia that violates the advertising 
restrictions has 14 days to comply, upon notification by DHS or AG. (Sec. 1) 
14. Subjects a marijuana establishment that is found to be in violation of the marijuana 
advertising regulations by the AG to disciplinary action by DHS. (Sec. 1) 
15. Requires, rather than allows the AG to enforce the marijuana advertising regulations. 
(Sec.1) 
16. Clarifies that advertising for marijuana or marijuana products does not include a 
communication of a marijuana establishment or nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary 
that is targeted only to the established customer base or that is requested by a customer 
or potential customer pursuant to an opt-in with an age affirmation. (Sec. 1) 
17. Contains an effective date of July 1, 2026. (Sec. 2) 
18. Contain a Proposition 105 clause. (Sec. 3) 
19. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1)