Gina Cranewinkle and Mark Gorman

We live in an age of “high” creativity.Creativity in cannabis marketing is soaring today; it’s not enough to have great marketing and beautiful packaging for your product – your brand and product must stand out, shouting over the din. Cannabis marketers do this very well.

Packaging and Labeling: Compliant Components

Beyond creativity and branding, however, there are a myriad of compliance requirements that must be followed when packaging and labeling products – some of the most critical being that products are light-resistant to what’s visible inside and are child-proof; the latter include Requires children 5 years or younger to be difficult to open and not attractive to children (a subjective concept that must be handled with extreme care – especially food).

Your local and state government requirements may or may not provide a deeper understanding of what is important and required, so it is critical that cannabis product marketers know and follow what is required.

The first national standard for the National Association of Cannabis Enterprises was Cannabis Safety: Packaging and LabelingThe goal of the standard is to be as all-encompassing as possible, which can be overwhelming for marketers who want to sell, but is critical to ensuring compliance and best practices.

As a self-regulatory organization, we worked with a committee of experts to develop this standard and make it available to anyone, regardless of membership. We also provide a checklist to use when creating or updating an existing package or viewing any package inventory.

The checklist is a great tool to help marketers comply with regulations.

Consumers accustomed to warnings and protective measures

The good news – most Americans are familiar with the consumer protection and regulatory requirements for most packages we buy.

While, as a marketer, you might think your entire packaging looks like a warning label, the reality is that it’s normal. From alcohol and tobacco (given) to the foods we eat every day with “allergen info: may contain milk, soy, wheat or tree nuts”, most Americans are all too familiar with the protections that can help us Make purchasing decisions and spend.

We want manufacturers and retailers to ensure not only product quality, but also safety. Marijuana is no exception. If anything, our industry must uphold the highest standards, exceeding requirements and expectations.

What is your packaging challenge or victory?

As the industry continues to evolve, more and more cannabis brands are now vying for retailer shelf space. It’s not enough to just have a great package – only a small space can make a big impact. Getting products into stores is visually appealing, then ensuring marketing, packaging and labelling compliance are at the forefront of the right merchandising mix.

What is your most recent packaging challenge or victory?We would love to know – leave us a message [email protected].

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2021 issue of Cannabis & Tech Today.Join the newsletter and read Free full question.