When people search weed maps, you need your local dispensary to appear in the search engine results. In order to do so, your website must be infused with dispensary SEO, and your business must follow the weed dispensary marketing laws within the state. Here is a breakdown of the dispensary marketing laws and regulations for Alaska.
Marketing Acts Prohibited by Marijuana Retail Stores
All weed dispensary stores in Alaska must comply with the rules established by the state. This regulation includes the process of abstaining from participating in prohibited acts, which the Alaska board has outlined as the following:
- Selling, giving, distributing, delivering or offering to do any of the five to anyone under the age of 21 years old
- Selling, giving, distributing, delivering or offering to do any of the five to anyone that is under the influence of alcohol or another controlled substance
- Selling, giving, distributing, delivering or offering to sell, give, distribute or deliver products that are not labeled and packaged as per the cannabis dispensary marketing laws
- Selling, giving, distributing, delivering or offering to sell, give, distribute or deliver a quantity higher than the limit
- No more than 1 ounce of usable marijuana, seven grams of marijuana concentrate for inhalation or a total of marijuana products over 5,600 milligrams of THC
- Selling, giving, distributing, delivering or offering to sell, give, distribute or deliver products after the expiration date as shown on the label
- Selling online unless the consumer is physically present
- Conducting business or allowing customers inside your marijuana dispensary establishment between the hours of 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.
- Allowing customers to consume marijuana or marijuana products on the premises, unless
- Offering to deliver marijuana or marijuana products to the consumer as a marketing promotion
- Offering free marijuana or marijuana products, including samples
- Offering alcoholic beverages
Online Local Dispensaries
Selling marijuana and marijuana products over the internet is a prohibited act in the state of Alaska unless the consumer is physically present in your store and your store has a marijuana establishment license. So, you can still have an online marijuana dispensary store and infuse it with dispensary SEO – and certainly should to ensure your dispensary appears in the search engine results.
However, you cannot sell marijuana or marijuana products on your dispensary website unless the customer is in the store while purchasing.
Dispensary Marketing Packaging Laws
Alaska dispensary laws require that all retail marijuana stores must provide proper packaging and labels, as set out by the Alaska board. This regulation means that any products being sold or marketing must be packaged in re-sealable, child-resistant, opaque packaging before the consumer leaves the premises.
Dispensary Marketing Label Laws
- The products you sell in your dispensary have to comply with the strict dispensary marketing laws that pertain to the labeling of your products. As a rule of thumb, every label must identify your retail marijuana store by name or a distinctive logo. Every label has to have your marijuana establishment license number, the total estimated amount of THC of each product and all of the following statements:
- “Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive.”
- “Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence.”
- “There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana.”
- “For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.”
- “Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.”
Consumer Dispensary Notices
There are also many consumer notices every retail marijuana store in Alaska must provide to their customers in a conspicuous, visible location to customers. These notices must be at least 11 inches by 14 inches in size, lettering must be at least one-half in height, easily visible and need to contain the following statements:
- “Consumption of marijuana in public is prohibited by law.”
- “Transportation or carriage of marijuana or marijuana products on Alaska waterways, including cruise ships, or by air carrier is prohibited by federal law.”
- “Transportation or shipment of marijuana or marijuana products outside the State of Alaska is prohibited by federal law.”
- “Providing marijuana to persons under 21 years of age is prohibited by law.”
Restriction on Advertising of Marijuana Products
Alaska has placed some restrictions on the advertisement of marijuana products for retail stores that pertain to everything from store advertisements to consumption, location of the ads and more.
Advertising Restrictions for Signs
Alaska dispensary laws allow you to place a sign in your dispensary’s window or attach it to the exterior of your building, as long as it does not exceed 4,800 square inches. However, you cannot have more than three signs visible to the general public that identifies the store by its business name.
Additionally, you cannot have an advertisement for marijuana or marijuana products within 1,000 feet of any child-centered facility, such as a school, daycare, playground, public park, library, arcade, etc. They also cannot be placed within 1,000 feet of a substance abuse treatment facility or a post secondary school.
Advertisements cannot be placed on or in any places that are publically owned or operated either.
Advertising Restrictions on Marijuana Information
Alaska also has laws that pertain to the information provided to consumers via dispensary marketing. By law, you cannot have an advertisement for marijuana or marijuana products that are false or misleading. Your marketing cannot promote excessive consumption nor can it create the illusion of providing curative or therapeutic effects.
Additionally, your dispensary marketing cannot depict a person under the age of 21 consuming marijuana, nor can your marketing include a character or toy that appeals to people under the age of 21.
Dispensary Marketing Coupon Restrictions
Another marijuana marketing restriction pertains to that of otherwise common marketing tactics, such as coupons, games, and activities. As a dispensary in Alaska, you cannot use any giveaway coupons, and you cannot host any promotion activities such as competitions, contests or games that encourage the sale of marijuana.
Alaska has relatively strict weed dispensary marketing laws, and the state even prohibits selling marijuana online. However, you can still use dispensary SEO to ensure that you appear in the search engines when consumers are looking for a local dispensary.
