Maryland Cannabis Administration:
Making it Easier to Find a Trusted Source

Turning Cannabis Buying Confusion into Consumer Confidence

As adult-use cannabis expanded in Maryland after its legalization, so did confusion. Many consumers — especially those purchasing from unregulated sources like smoke shops or convenience stores — didn’t fully understand the difference between licensed and unlicensed products. That gap mattered. Without clear guidance, people risked buying cannabis that hadn’t been tested for potency or contaminants, with no real assurance of what they were consuming. Dispensary staff saw it firsthand: a widespread knowledge gap, paired with a need for simple, visible cues to help consumers make safer, more informed choices.

The Solution? A Friendly Guide, Not a Lecture

The “Buy Regulated” campaign set out to meet consumers where they were—with clarity, not judgment. Built around the idea “If you choose to consume, know what you’re really getting,” the campaign used a mix of digital media, video, social, and in-store materials to demystify the regulated market. A simple but powerful visual — the “Trusted Source” green check — became a shorthand for safety and legitimacy. Supporting tactics included window clings, posters, a pocket guide, and a dispensary locator tool, all designed to be bold, easy to understand, and actionable. The tone stayed intentionally approachable, positioning the campaign as a helpful guide rather than a rule enforcer.

Clarity is Driving Smart Choices

The campaign didn’t just raise awareness — it changed behavior. It delivered nearly 34 million hyper-targeted impressions and drove over 57,000 visits to the Trusted Source landing page, making it the most visited page on the site during the campaign period. Engagement followed suit, with thousands of video views and record-setting QR code scans from in-store materials. Research showed strong message retention, with 90% of audiences understanding key points and recognizing how to verify licensed dispensaries. Most importantly, the campaign made a complex issue simple: look for the check, buy with confidence.