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Given the way most countries have moved against tobacco advertising, it's kind of fascinating that alcohol advertising is both allowed at all, and in many countries it is essentially totally unregulated.

When Canada legalized cannabis, the enabling legislation prohibited nearly all cannabis advertising. Producers are pretty much restricted to propagating their brand name. They most certainly can't have an ad that portrays cannabis users as sexy and cool.

Quebec went so far that selling clothing or bags with a cannabis leaf on them is now illegal. While that law is probably unconstitutional for its excessive restriction of free expression, it gives an insight into the mentality of the legislators, when it came to cannabis advertising.

And yet nothing stops Anheuser-Busch from proselytizing the message that getting drunk on Bud Light will get you showered you in women and make you the life of the party. Billboards, TV, Internet ads, radio, sponsorships.

Even the government alcohol monopoly advertises alcohol!



Anec-data here: in Russia, there are ads (TV and print) for beer, but only non-alcoholic beer.




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