Alphabet Inc.’s
Google in January will start running ads for some products made with CBD for the first time, in a program designed to test the loosening of its rules on promoting the cannabis-derived substance formally called cannabidiol.
The news represents a small breakthrough for CBD product owners, which have long been blocked by some technology companies from advertising online.
“Google’s decision to open the door for some CBD products to advertise is a step in the right direction,” said Lisa Buffo, founder and chief executive of the Cannabis Marketing Association. “The opportunity for businesses to connect with their customers, where they are, is long overdue.”
The pilot comes in response to the prevalence and widespread availability of CBD products, a Google spokesman said. The company in October reported its fifth consecutive quarter of slowing sales growth, with its YouTube video platform posting a drop in advertising revenue for the first time since the company began reporting the unit’s performance.
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