For better or for worse, social media is a requirement for any brand serious about success. People don’t have the attention span to watch full-length television anymore, they don’t read email newsletters, and they for sure aren’t interested in flyers plastered on trees in local parks. The internet gives brands global reach that was once unimaginable, and people can speak to others whom they could never dream of meeting in real life. For cannabis creators and business owners on Meta platforms, though, this fact makes it almost impossible to find security in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
While the last two decades have seen a slight shift in what makes up popular culture, a few social media giants have remained—X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook are perhaps the most ubiquitous. TikTok, a short-form video sharing app, has taken over the market in recent years, but for every generation but the most recent two, the former apps are where they learn about trends, hear the newest political turmoil, and find products and companies in which to invest.
Facebook, launched in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, acquired Instagram in 2012, creating a social media superpower. Since then, the company has rebranded to Meta and has positioned itself as the pinnacle of the intersection between human interaction and technology.
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Meta’s free speech paradox
As people shift away from traditional media, the digital realm has had to reconcile with the sharing of political information. What constitutes free speech? Or hate speech? What’s allowed on these platforms, exactly?
That’s where cannabis creators come in. For years, social media users focused on the plant have been censored—posts have been taken down, pages have been shadowbanned, and some accounts have even been deleted altogether. Cannabis creators are sick of it and have demanded that the company be more transparent about what it will and will not tolerate in terms of weed-focused content.
“We’re not asking for special treatment—just fair treatment. Let us show our craft. Let us share our stories,” said Jason Gellman, owner of Ridgeline Farms, who has his page deleted on more than one occasion.
Most recently, Meta clarified that it does not allow advertisement of THC products or paraphernalia like bongs and rolling papers, but that a brand can promote legal CBD and hemp products. In the same statement, it says, “You’re allowed to educate, advocate or give public service announcements related to Cannabis and Cannabis Derived Products as long as your ads don’t promote or offer any prohibited products for sale.” Creators in the industry claim they haven’t lived up to this promise.
“It’s been a nonstop battle. Posts removed for ‘violating community guidelines,’ even when they’re educational or legal,” Luna Stower, a cannabis business consultant and online creator, told GreenState. “The rules are vague, enforcement is inconsistent, and appeals go nowhere. It feels like punishment for existing in the cannabis space, even when following every rule.”
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Meta claimed to have loosened its restrictions on “some topics that are part of mainstream discourse,” as it tries to avoid over-restricting content and leaving creators in “Facebook jail” without reprieve. Since the notice in January, though, Stower and others allege that censorship has gotten worse.
“Yes, our most recent issue with Meta has been the most frustrating by far,” started Katie Motta, founder and CEO of Jade Stone. “Back in March, we were tagged as a collaborator on a reel from an event we attended, and within 24 hours, the post was taken down. Our account…was flagged for violating ‘Community Standards on Cannabis…’ Since that single takedown (despite not having created or published the reel), we’ve seen a dramatic drop in reach beyond our existing followers and have had to shift our strategy to ensure we’re still visible to new audiences.”
Motta said that the post was wrongly identified as promoting the purchase or sale of marijuana products despite being a simple recap of a cannabis-focused event. While her account has remained active despite being flagged, many pages have been taken down, often without prior warning.
“We had our page deactivated alongside a backup + an employee who collaborated on post as well as their personal hobby page (not cannabis related) and I sh** you not, their dogs page!…Six accounts taken down at once for one post that ironically was talking about compliance!” said Mitch Pfeifer on LinkedIn.
Dustin Hoxworth, founder and editor-at-large of Fat Nugs, stated that his page was inexplicably removed six weeks ago and has yet to be reinstated, and he’s not alone.
Gellman told GreenState that the night before the Emerald Cup, a major cannabis event, his verified account—with over 50,000 authentic followers—was taken down. Two years later, he built his following back but started getting flagged every time he posted.
“Around that time, Meta announced it would ease its cannabis censorship. I was hopeful. But just two weeks later, my rebuilt account—again near 50,000 followers—was permanently disabled, along with my apparel and backup accounts.”
Many of these creators say they have submitted appeals to get accounts back, but most were unable to reach a human Meta representative. Others who bought “blue checks,” a verification metric available to Instagram users, reported being able to successfully restore accounts, although it didn’t prevent the initial censorship. Others expressed frustrations with the strict age restrictions placed on their content.
“Since the government requires all licensed plant-touching businesses to ‘age gate’ their websites with a ridiculous ‘click here’ gateway, all social media should require registration and screening of IP addresses if they really wanted to keep under-21 viewers away from this content. …If you tell a young person that they are too young to learn about an adult product, it will make them want to find out why?” Jimmy Young, founder of Pro Cannabis Media, told GreenState.
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What’s next?
Some creators have since shifted to non-Meta platforms. Becky Rotramel, founder and CEO of Your Highness, said she’s “still on Instagram but feel[s] more comfortable sharing direct cannabis related content on platforms like X and LinkedIn, where the guidelines appear to be more accommodating,” and many others echoed the sentiments.
Still though, the image-first format of Instagram and intergenerational popularity of Facebook make it hard to divorce oneself from the Metaverse completely.
“Instagram remains the most powerful marketing platform for the cannabis industry…But it’s also become the most hostile. It’s heartbreaking to watch a space meant for connection and creativity be taken over by bots, scammers, and inconsistent censorship,” said Gellman.
For many, social media engagement is a financial must, but this censorship has tampered with that. Amy Donohue, cannabis social media and startup advisor, is fed up with the effect Meta’s antics have had on her clients and is determined to bring a class-action lawsuit against the tech giant.
“Meta has NOT improved anything. In fact, no matter what they say is changing, their AI is already trained to go after us. It’s all bullsh** smoke & mirrors,” Donohue told GreenState.
While many of the creators interviewed echoed the blame for Meta’s AI system, others believe that the constant flags are a combination of the company and personal attacks enacted by random haters.
Meta did not respond to a request for comment on their cannabis policies.
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When asked what they’d say to Zuckerberg and Meta as a whole, the creators in question seemed simply exasperated. Some were frustrated (“Why are you such a f***ing a**hole?,” asked Donohue) while others pleaded for clarity.
Motta, very simply, said, “There should be space on these platforms for education about cannabis, CBD, and hemp, and for showcasing products in a non-commercial, informational context without penalty.”
At the end of the day, legal cannabis brands are business owners trying to use the tools available to them to make a living. Whether you disapprove of the lifestyle or the plant or just don’t want to see it, Meta’s alleged behavior on the matter sets a dangerous precedent for creators, especially those who dabble in more “alternative” niches.