United Nations wants to put an end to cannabis advertising

This week the United Nations called for a worldwide ban on all advertising promoting marijuana products. While the UN cannot enforce such a rule, it can recommend the move. It would be up to the member states to implement and enforce any kind of advertising ban. "A comprehensive ban on the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of cannabis would ensure that public health interests prevail over business interests," wrote the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in its annual World Drugs Report. "Such a ban should apply in all jurisdictions," it added. The global agency found that marijuana products "have nearly quadrupled in the United States and doubled in Europe over the past two decades." The UNODC added that although the products have gotten stronger over the past 20 years, the percentage of teenagers who consider the drug harmful has decreased by as much as 40 percent over the past 20 years. According to the agency, marijuana can cause mental disorders in long-term, heavy users. "Aggressive marketing of high-THC cannabis products by private companies and advertising on social media channels may exacerbate the problem," the UN officials wrote. The UN said "the measures could work similarly to the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control."