Pubdate: Wed, 05 Mar 2014
Source: Boston Herald (MA)
Copyright: 2014 The Boston Herald, Inc
Contact:  http://news.bostonherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53
Author: Marie Szaniszlo
Page: 19

MEDIA WILL PROFIT FROM POT SHOP ADS

The first ones who stand to make a windfall off medical marijuana
aren't necessarily the dispensaries or doctors; they might just be the
advertisers and the media that air their campaigns.

In April, months before the first dispensaries are scheduled to open
in Massachusetts this summer, what's expected to be the Northeast's
first marijuana-related commercial is due to air on major networks,
opening the floodgates to what could turn out to be big business for
both the companies that create the commercials and the ones that run
them.

"I would imagine medical marijuana sales will probably reach the
hundreds of millions of dollars, and advertising is usually some
percentage of gross revenue, so it could be a very big potential
revenue source," said Bruce Mittman, president of Mittcom, a local
advertising agency.

New York-based Medical Cannabis Network has booked airtime through
Comcast Spotlight to advertise marijuanadoctors.com, which pairs
patients with doctors in their area who will evaluate whether
marijuana should be used for their serious illness or chronic pain,
according to founder Jason Draizin.

While it's unclear how much the company paid for the commercial to air
on national cable networks and local cable channels across the state,
Mittman thinks neither they nor Comcast have anything to risk, even
though some people remain adamantly opposed to the legalization of
marijuana, medical or otherwise.

"It's a valid business relationship," he said. "The state has taken
the position that medical marijuana is ethical to sell."

Donna Goodison contributed to this report.
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MAP posted-by: Matt