New York Times Runs First Full-Page Cannabis Ad

It’s safe to say that it’s been a very good year for Leafly, the popular app that has been described as the “Yelp for weed.” First, the company was presented with Geekwire’s heralded “App of the Year” award, beating out a myriad of mainstream tech giants for the coveted spot. And now, it has become the first company to run a full-page marijuana advertisement in one of the country’s most influential newspapers.

The advertisement appeared in the Main News section of Sunday edition of the New York Times on Aug. 3. It features two people, one well-dressed man that’s presumably on his way to work and a woman dressed in athletic clothing going for a morning jog.

Near each person is a small box featuring Leafly’s signature branding, abbreviated strain names similar to the way elements are shown on a periodic table and an explanation for their cannabis use.

“Ian,” the ad says, “chose an indica cannabis strain to relieve his MS symptoms.”

It continues, “While fighting cancer, Molly preferred a sativa cannabis.”

At the bottom of the ad, Leafly congratulates New York on becoming the 23rd state to legalize medical marijuana under the Compassionate Care Act. Governor Cuomo officially signed the bill into law on July 7.

“Our advertisement in The New York Times is a responsible, mainstream message that elevates the conversation about cannabis in the U.S.,” said Leafly CEO Brendan Kennedy. “With cannabis now legal for patients in 23 states, Americans need professional, educational resources to help them navigate the changing legal, medical and social landscape.”

The historical advertisement follows “High Time: An Editorial Series on Marijuana Legalization,” the New York Times editorial board’s six-part series that called for federal cannabis legalization and sparked yet another national debate on the unfavorable consequences of marijuana prohibition.
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