Cannabis company Helius Therapeutics removes billboards after complaints

By February 12, 2019 Recent News

Stuff co.nz 11 February 2019
Family First Comment“The ASA said it was not socially responsible to imply that all cannabis was “medicine”. It found the billboards breached both the general code and the Therapeutic and Health Advertising Code.”
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Billboards promoting cannabis as a medicine have been found in breach of advertising standards.

The Advertising Standards Authority made the decision after several complaints about the billboard campaign in December, but it took no action because the advertiser, Helius Therapeutics, had taken down the signs.

One complainant, T Williamson, said only medicines that had been evaluated by Medsafe and had consent to be distributed were allowed to be advertised in New Zealand.

Another, B Heslop, said the advertisement gave the impression that all cannabis was medicine and therefore good for you, which was misleading.

Medicinal cannabis company Helius put up three versions of a billboard, each with a different photo of a person and the words, “Cannabis is a medicine.”

The company said the purpose of the campaign was to address the stigma associated with cannabis, draw attention to its use as a medicine and honour patients and advocates who had stood up for reform.

Of the four complainants, two zeroed in on cannabis still being illegal. The Government passed a bill in December which will allow pharmacies to sell regulated marijuana products and plans to hold a referendum on personal cannabis use in 2020.
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/110494284/cannabis-company-helius-therapeutics-removes-billboards-after-complaintstwitter follow us