Text your customers within Arizona’s cannabis advertising rules

Arizona has an adult-use and medical cannabis program

Retail licensing and advertising rules are enforced by the Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Marijuana Licensing. For billboards, social media and other channels, see our cannabis advertising rules beyond texting.

These Arizona rules bear on texting customers

Advertising that does fall under the statute must carry the required warning and may not be directed to people under 21, including with cartoons, images of consumption or a product's potency or THC levels, and electronic advertising requires an audience at least 73.6 percent aged 21 or older.

• A.R.S. 36-2859(G) requires advertising that involves direct, individualized communication or dialogue to use an age affirmation method, such as user confirmation or birth date disclosure, to verify the recipient is at least 21 before communicating.
• A.R.S. 36-2859(M) provides that a communication targeted only to the established customer base, or requested by a customer through an opt-in with an age affirmation, is not advertising for purposes of the section.
• A.R.S. 36-2859(C)(3) prohibits advertising electronically, via social media or on a website unless at least 73.6 percent of the audience is expected to be at least 21.
• A.R.S. 36-2859(D) requires all advertising to carry a conspicuous and legible warning about use by people under 21, pregnancy and keeping marijuana out of reach of children.
• A.R.S. 36-2859(C)(1) prohibits advertising to people under 21, including advertising with cartoons or fictional characters, images of consumption, or the potency or THC levels of a product.
• A.R.S. 36-2859(C)(4) prohibits advertising any health-related statement, or statement about the health effects of marijuana, that is known to be untrue.
• A.R.S. 36-2859(F) allows an advertising platform to host advertising only if the advertising identifies the responsible establishment or dispensary by name and license or registration number and contains the required warning.
• The adult-use rules require a marijuana establishment to develop, document and implement policies and procedures for advertising that complies with A.R.S. 36-2859 (A.A.C. R9-18-308(A)(2)(h)).

Start with consent, your store name and an opt-out line

• Text only people who opted in, and keep the record of when and how they did. Our guide to SMS opt-in and consent for dispensaries covers what to record.
• Put your store name first and an opt-out line on every text.
• Keep product details, prices and offers on an age-gated page rather than in the text, and check the wording against our list of banned words in cannabis texts.

Sticky SMS, by Sticky Cards, the loyalty and marketing platform for cannabis dispensaries, files your 10DLC registration with The Campaign Registry, with no charge for the number or the registration, and most stores are live in 1 to 2 days. How Arizona’s rules apply to your program stays with you and your counsel.

Work with Sticky Cards in Arizona

• Run a dispensary, CBD or vape shop in Arizona? Book a demo to see Sticky SMS.
• Run a texting agency in Arizona? Sticky Cards is looking for expert texting partner agencies in Arizona. Email support@stickycards.co to talk about working together.