Happy Monday, folks. Welcome to Single Shot. I’m Kaylee Hultgren, Content Director for PRNEWS.

This past Saturday, 4/20, marked the unofficial holiday for cannabis lovers.

Today, more than half of Americans live in a state where medical and recreational marijuana are legal, according to Pew Research Center data cited in a PRNEWS piece posted over the weekend. And consumers in some states, such as Florida, will soon hit the polls to vote on whether to legalize cannabis for adult use. From a legal and access perspective, we appear to be at a tipping point.

Meanwhile, the industry has evolved quite a bit over the last several years, and the perception of cannabis is shifting. Stoners came out in droves on Saturday to celebrate weed, but did some brands—from Popeyes’ munchies menus to Zippo’s weed-themed lighters to Pizza Pizza “pre rolls.”

However, scoring media coverage on a cannabis-related story isn’t necessarily a piece of cake. Several factors, including the reluctance of editorial decision-makers and laws differing by state, translate to an uphill battle. As a result, those in cannabis PR must continue to educate consumers, work with clients’ government relations teams and prioritize local news. Below are key takeaways from the piece. Read the full article here.

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The PRNEWS team wishes you a great start to your week. As always, we welcome feedback on our newsletters. Feel free to contact me at [email protected].

It seems we’ve been at the precipice of a cannabis tipping point for years, but we’ve finally hit it from a legal and access perspective. So how is media coverage being impacted? Here’s what PR pros working in the cannabis industry can do to score media placement.

Educate Reporters and Consumers. “Because cannabis is so complex and different in every state (and can change on a dime), media outlets need industry experts who can help explain what is going on, what’s legal, and how cannabis can be a wellness aid for consumers,” explains Samantha Qualls, Vice President at Marino.

Follow the Elections. If you’re in lockstep with your clients’ government relations team, you can proactively plan for cannabis-related votes—and turn them into media moments.

Prioritize Local News. Local outlets are hungry for cannabis stories, particularly within newly-legal states. “They’re also vital for cannabis brands because the viewers and readers of local press are in a position to actually buy those cannabis products,” Qualls says.

READ THE FULL STORY