Cannabis YouTube Advertising in 2025: Leveraging the Power of Video

Fundamentals of YouTube Advertising

Video is no longer optional—it’s essential. With consumer behavior shifting from predictable funnels to fluid digital journeys, cannabis brands must show up where their audience is: streaming, scrolling, searching, and shopping. And YouTube is at the center of it all.

The price of entry isn't nearly as steep as it once was. While some high-flying cannabis videos are virtual showcases of the videographer’s craft—we fell bigtime for Kiva’s 4/20 video a few years ago—long-form cannabis videos tend to be the exception. Some industry sources estimate that an average dispensary should be able to produce a compelling and effective 15- or 30-second spot for between $1,500 and $5,000, give or take.

Of course, you’ll also need to pay the platform—YouTube, in this case—itself. Generally, cannabis YouTube ads are uploaded and configured through the Google Ads interface, where an average daily budget might be on the order of $10 - $20. Learn more about launching cannabis YouTube ads here.

So, what does your video or ad need to include—and, just as importantly, need not to include? Let’s drill down into the nuts and bolts of getting a dispensary video ad off the ground.

Why Cannabis Brands Can’t Ignore YouTube

Over 2 billion users log in to YouTube every month, and younger cannabis consumers—especially Gen Z and Millennials—spend more time watching YouTube than traditional TV.

“If we’re not reaching them on YouTube… we may not be reaching them at all.”
—Mark Williamson, Costco

Luckily, MediaJel helps cannabis brands run compliant cannabis YouTube ads, despite the platform’s regulatory complexities. If your content is age-gated, avoids restricted claims, and follows creative guidelines, it can run on YouTube—and perform exceptionally well when part of a full omnichannel strategy.

Benefits of Cannabis YouTube Ads

• Massive Reach across devices and demographics
• High Engagement—video is proven to drive more attention than static ads
• Cost-Effective—budgets can start at $10–$20/day
• Creative Flexibility—educate, inspire, or entertain

Cannabis Video Ideas That Drive Results

You don’t need Hollywood-level production. In fact, authenticity often outperforms polish. With so many aspects of the cannabis world and dispensary life to highlight, the creative marketing director has a wide range of options when it comes to planning a video. Some of the strongest options include:

The Dispensary Tour

All the work you’ve invested in your storefront and product displays! A short video tour of your dispensary gives potential customers a behind-the-scenes look, primes their expectations, and entices them to come in and visit you in person.

Your Company Culture

As we’ve written before, a lot of the business of selling cannabis isn’t really about cannabis at all: It’s about creating a meaningful emotional connection with consumers so that they identify more deeply with your brand. And one of the best ways to help foster this is through behind-the-scenes videos showcasing your company culture. Show the people behind the plant. Brand affinity often starts with relatable stories, not products.

Dispensary Events

Record your pop-ups, demos, or educational sessions. These videos perform well on both YouTube and cannabis CTV. There’s no excuse not to host special events like “Farmer’s Markets,” educational presentations, and other events that welcome your community. You can—and should—be making the most of these opportunities by committing them to video for later use in promo spots. A crowd of people curious about what your dispensary offers? It’s a movie that practically writes itself!

Educational Videos

Scratch the surface of the cannabis consumer community and you’ll quickly learn there’s an enormous hunger for valid information and guidance about products. You can help fill the gap—and build your brand voice and authority—by producing how-to and general education videos on a virtually unlimited range of products and topics. Explain cannabinoids, product types, and consumption methods. Be informative, not promotional, and you’ll build lasting trust.

Cannabis YouTube Advertising: Specific Do’s and Don’ts

We’re excited to help you usher in the era of video-based cannabis advertising, but given the cannabis plant’s complicated legal status, there are naturally a few no-no’s. We maintain an up-to-date listing of state-by-state cannabis advertising regulations. But over and above this, here are a few key considerations to take into account when you’re thinking of running cannabis ads. Specifically, they cannot include:

• Suggestions of health or medical benefits
• Elements that could appeal to children, such as cartoon characters
• Statements that could be construed as false or misleading, including those made about competitors’ products
• Testimonials or endorsements (for instance, from doctors)
• Scenes of product consumption
• Pricing, potency statements, or promotional offers

All video ads for cannabis-infused products must state “For Adult Use Only.” In addition, dispensaries operating in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington must include state-specific disclaimers in their videos. Florida currently requires ad creative to be submitted for state review.

Ready to Launch Your Cannabis YouTube Campaign?

MediaJel can turn your video ideas into compliant, high-performing campaigns that meet your audience where they are—on YouTube and beyond.

✅ Age-gated YouTube ad access
✅ State-by-state compliance support
✅ Audience segmentation via DemoGraph™
✅ Full omnichannel strategy (CTV, display, DOOH, and more)

We handle the tech and compliance so you can focus on creative and performance.

That said, we wholeheartedly invite you to investigate the world of cannabis YouTube advertising. Want help putting something together—or  try CTV video ads on Smart TVs ?

👉 Explore Our CTV & YouTube Advertising Services → Contact Us Here

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