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The advertisement (above) for BriteSide follows the formulaic pattern and aesthetic of most other pharmaceutical commercials. A burdened-with-life protagonist miraculously finds happiness and sunshine after getting a prescription for a particular drug. The protagonists are blissfully oblivious to any of the horrifying side-effects speedily read out in the voice-over, such as diarrhoea, vomiting, heart irregularities, seizures or even death.

But there’s something a little...different about this particular commercial. It points out how “Sometimes, life can be a little overwhelming. Sometimes the weight of the world can be too much to bear.” Which is all too real, but then what? “Sometimes you need to stop worrying and take a deep breath. Sometimes... you need cannabis.”

The advertisement is real – as it explicitly points out – for a genuine cannabis delivery service in Oregon, USA, where consumption of cannabis is legal. But at the same time, it is also a clever-witted, accurate parody of pharmaceutical drug advertisements.

Also, the advertisement advises viewers to do their homework. “Ask your doctor if cannabis is right for you. It probably is.”