Canada CBD Campaign Category Policy

This guide provides an overview of Quantcast’s policy guidelines for CBD campaigns in Canada, including what is supported, restricted, and prohibited. Please review carefully.

To see the full Campaign Policy, see this page.

CBD Campaigns in Canada

Advertising for Cannabidiol (CBD) campaigns is permitted in Canada.

CBD regulations vary by Province, and the rules vary depending on what type(s) of products are sold (e.g., topicals, tinctures, edibles, etc.).
Carefully review this guide as there are important prohibitions and restrictions with which Advertisers must comply to satisfy Quantcast policies, laws, and self-regulatory codes.

Account Opening

Approval is required upon account opening and for each campaign. Commercial teams should ensure campaigns comply with the Quantcast policy parameters below. Campaigns from Advertisers in this category will be audited.

During onboarding, proof of licensure to sell CBD products (granted on a Province or Federal level) should be saved in the advertiser’s Salesforce account. A person authorized to sell or distribute cannabis is limited to a federal license holder, a provincial or private retailer authorized under subsection 69(1) of the Cannabis Act, or someone granted a legislative or regulatory exemption. Multiple authorizations may be required, which may require authorization on a Provincial level as well as from Health Canada, as per the rules below.

Creative Considerations

• Ads must not appeal to children.

• License holders must include their name, as set out in their license, in any creatives in a campaign.

An advertiser with authorization to produce, sell, or distribute cannabis may promote the same using an informational promotion or brand-preference promotion.

• Advertisers must confirm:

  • The CBD has a THC composition of 0.3% or less (though there is no limit to the amount of CBD that may be contained, and the Cannabis Act does not distinguish between CBD derived from industrial hemp and CBD derived from cannabis plants).

  • CBD product ads making health claims have approval for the product as a prescription drug under the Canada Food and Drug Regulations.

  • Natural health products, cosmetic products, and/or veterinary health products only contain permissible plant parts, i.e., parts of the cannabis and hemp plants that are not considered cannabis under the Cannabis Act, including non-viable seeds and hemp-seed derivatives that are compliant with the Industrial Hemp Regulations.

• CBD in Health-Related Products

  • Advertisers may not promote cannabis, a cannabis accessory, or a service related to cannabis if it could create the impression that the product or service could have health benefits (e.g., "pain reduction," "reducing anxiety," "reducing inflammation," "sleep aid").

  • Under the Food and Drugs Act, health products containing cannabis or for use with cannabis are subject to premarket authorization by Health Canada. All health products are reviewed for safety, efficacy, and quality before receiving market authorization and are also subject to a number of other requirements such as establishment licensing.

  • Where CBD campaigns may intersect with Healthcare campaign rules, additional Healthcare rules apply.

  • Health claims being made for serious diseases such as depression, addiction, and cancer, among others, as referenced in Schedule A.1 of the Food and Drugs Act, are strictly prohibited, i.e., if the cannabis is manufactured, sold, or represented for use in the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation, or prevention of a disease, disorder, or abnormal physical state, or its symptoms.

• CBD in Food Products

  • Edible CBD may not suggest that they meet dietary requirements for persons with physical or physiological conditions as a result of a disease, disorder, or injury, for persons for whom a particular effect, including weight loss, is to be obtained by a controlled intake of food or to meet the dietary requirements of young persons.

• CBD in Cosmetic Products

  • Advertisers cannot promote cannabis, a cannabis accessory, or a service related to cannabis if it could create the impression that the product or service could have health or cosmetic benefits (e.g., "improves skin elasticity," "soothes dry skin," "reduces signs of aging," "skin brightening," "smooths wrinkles")

• Sponsorships are permitted, as long as they do not display, refer to, or otherwise use (directly or indirectly) a cannabis brand, accessory, or service or the name of a person that produces, sells, or distributes cannabis, sells or distributes a cannabis accessory, or provides a service related to cannabis in a promotion that is used in the sponsorship of a person, entity, event, activity, or facility. Some regulated parties may wish to sponsor charity events or activities, but the display, reference, or usage of brand elements or the names of persons authorized to conduct cannabis activities are prohibited.

Campaign Parameters

• Permitted targeting types: all targeting types except demographics related to the sensitive categories below.

• Permitted tagging: no data passback (DPB) through pixel fires as related to the sensitive categories below; all tagging outside of sensitive categories permitted, so long as no sensitive user data can be inferred from any campaign element.

• Supply: Curated supply packages for CBD-compliant supply must be targeted for all CBD advertisers. packages can be selected under the section “Deals and Packages”. Global CBD packages are named as follows:

  • Display/Video/Native: Quantcast Curated Package - Global CBD Compliant - Display/Video/Native

  • CTV: Quantcast Curated Package - Global CBD Compliant - CTV

• PIPEDA: Campaigns must not reveal or concern or result in the collection, provision, or processing of the following types of data; or allow reasonably certain inferences concerning:

  • All health-related data (known or inferred, including genetic and biometric data)

  • Financial data

  • Ethnic and racial origins

  • Political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs

  • Sex life or sexual orientation

• Campaigns must be targeted to audiences primarily 18+

• Ad timing: Some geos and publishers may have display time prohibitions, such as requiring that ad timing avoids placement during, before, or after children’s programming.

Important Prohibitions:

Campaigns must not:

• Attract or appeal to minors (such as with cartoons, child-friendly public figures, showing CBD as toys, marketing CBD as candy, etc.)

• Advertise using a depiction of a person, character, or animal, whether real or fictional

• Advertise using  a testimonial or endorsement (including via celebrities, in person or by reference)

• Advertise by presenting the brand and/or products as glamorous, recreational, exciting, vital, risky, or daring.

• Contain any direct or implied physical or mental health, curative, drug, other therapeutic claims, or social status claims (e.g., by claiming to reduce stress levels or improve sex life)

• Advertise vaping or vapable CBD, including vapable CBD oil, cartridges, and products related to their use (including vaporizers, pens, pipes, etc.), Delta-8

• Advertise campaigns with landing pages that sell prohibited products, even if the campaign is promoting a permitted product (e.g., a campaign advertising CBD gummy bears with a landing page that also sells smokable CBD cartridges and e-cigarettes would be rejected)

• Include elements that would associate the product with alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, or vaping products

• Make claims outside of the product’s classification (e.g., topicals should not include dietary claims; edibles should not include cosmetic claims)

• Promote cannabis or cannabis accessories in a manner that is false, misleading, or deceptive (including creating an erroneous impression regarding characteristics, value, quantity, composition; strength, concentration, potency; purity, quality, merit, safety; or health effects and/or risks)

• Promote cannabis brands, products, or plans in a communication that originates outside of Canada, including via publications and/or broadcasts originating outside of Canada

• Promote flavored cannabis products such as those with confectionery (such as candies or gum), desserts (such as ice cream, cookies, or chocolate), soft drinks (such as cola, orange soda, or root beer), or energy drink flavors.

If you have questions regarding a CBD advertiser or campaign, please reach out to [email protected].