Major social media platforms are gradually warming up to cannabis, with Meta (formerly known as Facebook) and Twitter loosening restrictions on CBD and THC-related ads. On July 11, Facebook announced a new policy on CBD and related products in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, changing the language from hemp to CBD. The move aims to allow the promotion of legally permissible, non-ingestible CBD products with some restrictions.
It is important to note that these products have been legal for some purposes at the federal level since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized industrial hemp and hemp products containing less than 0.3% THC on a dry-weight basis.
Under the new policy, advertisers no longer need written permission to run ads promoting or offering the sale of hemp products that do not contain CBD or more than 0.3% THC in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, as long as they comply with all applicable local laws and industry codes and guidelines.
In 2019, Facebook announced that it would allow topical hemp product ads but not ads for ingestible products. This could be attributed to the FDA’s determination that THC and CBD products are excluded from the dietary supplement definition. The recent changes by Meta clarify the distinction between hemp and CBD products and remove the requirement for written permission. The new policy also allows for ads that educate, advocate, or provide public service announcements related to CBD and related products, as long as they do not offer any prohibited products for sale.
However, it is important to note that this policy change does not permit the marketing of hemp-derived products marketed as psychoactive. Advertisers are still prohibited from running ads that promote THC products or cannabis products containing psychoactive components.
To run ads promoting legally permissible, non-ingestible CBD products that do not contain more than 0.3% THC, advertisers must be certified with Legitscript, have written permission from Meta, and comply with all applicable local laws and industry codes and guidelines. Ads for CBD products are also not allowed to target individuals under 18 years of age and are restricted to the U.S. only.
This policy change represents a slight improvement compared to the previous restrictions on cannabis-related ads on Meta’s platforms. Instagram and Facebook have been known to remove cannabis accounts if they are deemed to violate Community Standards, and there is no indication that this practice will stop anytime soon.
Twitter, Meta’s rival, announced in February that it would allow ads for CBD and THC products in certain jurisdictions. Twitter stated that the conversation around cannabis on its platform in the U.S. is larger than topics such as pets, cooking, golf, fast food, coffee, and liquor.
The competition among social media apps in regulating CBD and THC-related ads is evident with Meta’s new policy and the growth of their new app Threads. Dubbed the “Twitter Killer,” Threads garnered 100 million users within days of its release.
In conclusion, social media platforms like Meta and Twitter are gradually becoming more open to CBD and THC-related ads. While there are still restrictions in place, the recent policy changes by Meta reflect a growing acceptance of these products within the advertising landscape.
