Op-Ed: Congress's Scam Bill Shouldn't Lump Cannabis Ads In as 'High-Risk'

A newly filed bipartisan bill in Congress aims to crack down on online scams, and an industry advocate is pushing back on one piece of it. In an opinion piece, the writer argues that the legislation would label cannabis advertising as "high-risk," a classification that doesn't fit how licensed operators actually do business.

The author starts by agreeing with the goal. Online fraud is a real problem, and scammers frequently go after older Americans, often using the same digital channels that legitimate businesses rely on to reach customers. Nobody in the cannabis space is arguing that Congress should ignore that. The disagreement is over who gets lumped in with the bad actors.

The central argument is that licensed cannabis companies are not the source of the problem. As the piece puts it, they are the safe, tested alternative to illicit sellers. State-licensed operators go through compliance requirements, product testing, and regulatory oversight, all of which stand in contrast to the shady schemes the bill is meant to target. Tagging their advertising as high-risk, the op-ed suggests, risks treating legal businesses like fraudsters and could make it harder for them to communicate with adult customers.

Instead of a blanket label, the author points to what the industry already does: self-regulation with high standards. Advertising codes and voluntary best practices, the argument goes, offer a more precise way to protect consumers without sweeping in responsible companies.

This is an opinion piece, so it reflects one perspective on the proposal rather than a final verdict on it. Still, it highlights a recurring tension for the cannabis business, which operates legally in many states yet still gets treated differently under federal rules. How lawmakers respond as the bill moves forward will show whether that gap is addressed or widened.