TSA PSA: Cannabis Ads Arrive at Airport TSA Checkpoint Trays
Organa Brands, one of the nation’s largest cannabis companies, isn’t taking to the skies anytime soon, but they are targeting travelers who are. This week the company premiered the first cannabis-centered public service announcement at Ontario International Airport, in Southern California, reminding flyers of the illegality of carrying cannabis across state lines.
Using branded Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening bins—the trays where laptops, wallets and other personal items are stored before being x-rayed with carry-on luggage—Organa’s ad which reads “Cannabis is legal. Traveling with it is not. Leave it in California,” seeks to responsibly normalize cannabis and create a positive dialogue.
The campaign was previously set to launch at Sacramento International Airport, however, airport officials backed out of the arrangement. Nevertheless, Jeremy Heidl, co-founder and president of Organa Brands, sees it as blessing. The approved message at the time was “cannabis is illegal to carry across state lines.”
“That doesn’t send the right message,” Heidl said in a statement for the Los Angeles Times. “And we could look bad saying ‘cannabis is illegal.’ We are working hard to normalize it and do good. We felt like this was a responsible campaign.”
Although the TSA does not endorse political messages, it does not regulate advertising placed on screening bins. The bins are contracted by local airport authorities through Security Point Media, a Florida company that owns the patent. Organa Brands worked directly with Security Point Media to secure ad space. Before Organa, Security Point Media worked with companies like Zappos and Bumble, a dating app.
“I don’t want to throw shade on any other company,” Heidl said in a statement for Newsweek. “but, oh my god, you’re promoting hooking up at the airport but cannabis isn’t okay?”
Based in Denver, Organa launched in 2010 and currently runs the longest operating CO2 extraction lab in the country. It began producing cannabis extracts and later expanded into the vaporizer pen and edible markets.
