The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) re adopted some changes to its symbol June 6, 2018. They have taken a thoughtful–almost harmless–approach to informing consumers of the contents of their purchase (1).
Figure 1 California’s Universal Symbol for Cannabis
Overall.
The neutrality of the symbol shows that the state is taking things slowly and cautiously when bringing legal cannabis to the market. They are also cognizant to the innocuousness and benefits of the plant, while giving enough credence to the potential downfalls of its use.
Shape.
The triangle draws the consumer’s eyes. It is a universally-recognized symbol that represents caution to warn of potential danger.A triangle is always used in products that pose health risks to consumers to mark and identify any and all hazards. One example is the biohazard symbol we see at the doctors office.
Contents.
The symbols inside are obvious since even non-users know the silhouette of a cannabis leaf. The explanation point is an unnecessary danger-indicator.; it may further stigmatize cannabis, as we don’t see this type of labeling on caffeine. However, the use of rather mid-level danger indicators–as opposed to skull-and-crossbones or a strike-through–offsets the overall negativity of the symbol and leaves it feeling neutral.
The downfalls of its use stems more from the user’s approach than the actual plant. It’s a cultural issue, not a chemical one, and California’s symbol shows that in its imagery.
References:
- “Laws and Regulations.” Accessed June 14, 2018. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DFDCS/MCSB/Pages/Regulations.aspx
Figure 1: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DFDCS/MCSB/PublishingImages/UniversalSymbol.jpg
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