Mississippi Cannabis Dispensary Owner Sues State Over Advertising Restrictions

LOS ANGELES- A lawsuit challenging Mississippi’s restrictive advertising rules for cannabis companies was filed on Thursday in federal court. The litigation, initiated by Clarence Cocroft II, owner of Tru Source Medical Cannabis, directly confronts the state-imposed limitations that bar cannabis companies from advertising in various media outlets. Cocroft’s legal action names the heads of the Mississippi Department of Health, Department of Revenue, and Alcoholic Beverage Control Bureau as defendants.

The central argument of the lawsuit, as reported by the Associated Press, revolves around First Amendment rights. Cocroft, during a press conference, expressed his frustration, stating, “All I want to do, like any other business owner, is have the opportunity to advertise. If I pay taxes in this business, which I do, I should be able to advertise. All I’m asking from this state is to provide us with the same liberty that they’ve provided other businesses.”

Currently, Mississippi rules restrict cannabis companies to advertise solely on their own websites, a regulation that Cocroft and his legal team argue is an unfair limitation on their right to free speech. Katrin Marquez, one of Cocroft’s attorneys, emphasized the severity of this issue at the press conference, noting, “The First Amendment does not allow a state to completely censor a legal business. If it is legal to sell a product, it is legal to talk about that product.”

This lawsuit highlights a growing tension between state regulations and the burgeoning cannabis industry, especially concerning marketing and advertising strategies. Cocroft’s case brings to the forefront the debate over whether cannabis, as a legally sanctioned product in Mississippi, should be accorded the same advertising freedoms as other businesses. The outcome of this legal challenge could set a precedent for how cannabis companies are allowed to engage with customers and advertise their products, potentially reshaping the landscape of cannabis marketing in Mississippi and beyond.