With medicinal marijuana being legal in 37 states and recreational cannabis allowed in 18, we should be seeing commercials for companies, products, and services almost as frequently as commercials for sports betting, which is permitted in 30 states in some form.

However, mainstream cannabis advertising continues to be non-existent, as demonstrated in the recent news that NBC has rejected an ad by cannabis e-commerce and advertising platform Weedmaps from being shown during the Super Bowl LVI event his coming Sunday.

Weedmaps reportedly approached the network late last year about airing a Super Bowl commercial that would be “similar to a PSA,” according to reports. Execs volunteered to present some of their earlier educational-based programming, assuring NBC executives that it would not contain any direct-sell messages, which are still forbidden under federal law.

“The answer was a hard no — they wouldn’t even entertain the conversation,” Weedmaps Chief Operating Officer Juanjo Feijoo told Adweek. “We see ourselves as trying to be trailblazers in the industry and making new inroads where others haven’t gone before in cannabis advertising. So it was disappointing.”

The contentious ad personifies cannabis as Brock Ollie, a head of broccoli, the veggie emoji commonly used as a visual representation of cannabis in marketing. The 30-second ad takes viewers through a day in the life of Brock Ollie, whose superfood identity is in jeopardy as he is repeatedly misidentified as cannabis. The ad offers a lighthearted take on the industry’s issues, such as social media censorship and a lack of clear advertising standards, which limit cannabis-related commercials during nationally televised events like the Super Bowl.

“Despite three quarters of the country having legalized cannabis and the bipartisan enthusiasm we continue to see in support for change at the federal level, the industry continues to face roadblocks that inhibit competition in the legal market and stifle opportunities to educate,” Chris Beals, CEO of Weedmaps said. “There’s an irony in the fact that the biggest night for advertising will feature an array of consumer brands in regulated industries, from beverage alcohol to sports betting, yet legal cannabis retailers, brands and businesses have been boxed out.”

The game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams will be played Sunday in L.A.

On May 13-14, Green Street Festival will bring the city’s top restaurants, the state’s leading cannabis brands, and the world’s top entertainers to celebrate the cannabis community. The event marks a historic moment: Los Angeles opening its doors to consumer cannabis events.

This year, the event is partnering with the Emerald Cup to bring the 18th annual cannabis competition to Downtown LA. Industry thought leaders and a roll call of who’s who of the cannabis industry and culture will judge the very best from a list of categories.

Rama Mayo, founder and creator of Green Street Festival says the partnership is a convergence of two massive powerhouse entities in the culture of cannabism and the heritage and community of the Emerald Cup will enhance the Green Street experience.

“Cannabis will always be the headliner,” Mayo said in a press release. “There is no greater recognized symbol of excellence in the weed nation than the Emerald Cup Awards and we are thrilled to share the stage at our inaugural event with them in this partnership. Gary, our team, and I could not be more proud to partner with their organization as we bring the best cannabis, food, and music to one place.”

Emerald Cup founder and author, Tim Blake is absolutely thrilled to join the Green Street Festival and lift the awards to the stage of the largest cannabis market in the world, and be a part of this historic moment for Los Angeles.

“This triumphant return of our annual live awards show is our first entrance to Los Angeles and we could not have chosen better partners for this debut,” Blake said. “Rama and his team at Green Street have created a powerful ecosystem and they’ve done a wonderful job in creating a platform of engagement for us to shine. We’re eager to unify our northern and southern communities as we raise the Cup and recognize the best of California Cannabis.”  

The ‘Academy Awards of Cannabis’

The California cannabis market is stronger when united and the 2022 Emerald Cup Awards will bridge the gap between the NorCal and SoCal markets, providing more opportunities for farmers and brands and new options for consumers.

The panels include a diverse cast of leading experts, journalists, scientists, activists, celebrities, and cannabis aficionados. Globally recognized as the “Academy Awards of Cannabis,”  judges are exclusively hand-selected to test out a variety of cannabis products created by California’s best cultivators, extractors, and movers and shakers, looking to be crowned best in class in their respective categories. This years’ categories include flower, pre-rolls, solventless concentrates, hydrocarbon, cartridges, edibles, alternative cannabinoids, tinctures, and topicals. Additionally, the judges will be looking for winners for other categories including the most innovative product, eco-conscious packaging, and cannabis photography.

The competition entry window is currently open and the application deadline has been extended to Friday, February 11, 2022, at 4:00 pm PST. A full spectrum of cannabis excellence will be chosen based on specific criteria including the smell, taste, look, and the high, carefully judged under strict discretion.

Green Street Festival Lineup

The brainchild of Gary Vaynerchuk & Rama Mayo, Green Street Festival expects over 7,000 attendees with special performances by Juicy J & Friends, Gary Vaynerchuk, Harry Mack (Live) and many more to be announced.

Day one of the fest is a VIP event at the Green Street Building, a 67,000 sq ft cannabis business epicenter complete with a once-in-a-lifetime performance with Harry Mack and Gary Vaynerchuk.

Day two of the festival is at a historic outdoor venue in Downtown Los Angeles featuring a Keynote from Gary Vaynerchuk, plus an incredibly special performance lead by Grammy and Academy Award-winning artist Juicy J. Exclusive food offerings will be available from the city’s best restaurants & chefs including Yeastie Boys, Afters Ice Cream, Gusto Green, Petite Peso, Broad Street Oyster Co., Shrimp Daddy, and Uncle Paulie’s Deli.  Contemporary artist Cody Hudson created and established the visual identity of the festival.

Tickets for this inaugural event on May 13th & 14th are available now at GreenStreetFest.com.

Vibes, the rolling paper brand co-founded by entrepreneur and rapper Berner in collaboration with Gnln, announces a collaboration with the Kaya Herb House for the holidays. Featuring lifestyle goods and premium rolling papers, VIBES x Kaya Herb House furthers both brands’ missions to create the ultimate experience for connoisseurs.

VIBES x Kaya Herb House marks the first common project between the two brands, which have a shared goal of educating consumers on a premium smoking experience and creating meaningful experiences around the cannabis lifestyle.

The Kaya Herb House franchise was founded in Jamaica by “Bali” Vaswani, who had established Marley’s Estate coffee brand in the United States. VIBES x Kaya will be available at the Herb House in Kingston, Jamaica, which features the first medicinal Ganja herb house in the Caribbean and offers locally grown herbs and straight-from-the-farm extracts line as well as a taste of world-renowned cuisine and juices at the cafe and pizza restaurant.

“This marks another milestone for the VIBES brand. We are thrilled to partner with such an industry legend, together introducing an authentic experience to Jamaica and bringing attention to the history of the industry in the Caribbean,” says Vanessa Vanjari, Brand Manager of Vibes.

The collaboration features rolling papers, apparel, and accessories for the global wellness traveller, including co-branded hemp king size skinny booklets, tee shirts, and a pizza cutter. The slogan “Build a Vibe” is stamped on the VIBES x Kaya rolling papers, a play on both a popular Jamaican catchphrase and VIBES’ signature “Catch a Vibe.”

Each piece in the collection contains a retro graphic style of a plane that pays homage to the history of cannabis in the Caribbean when smugglers flew cannabis for the black market over the coasts of Jamaica and Florida. Smuggler planes would drop packages into the water, gaining the name “Square Grouper.”

VIBES x Kaya is a month-long collaboration that launches on December 17, 2021 at the Kaya Herb House in Kingston, Jamaica.