Twitter Allows Cannabis Ads: New Policy vs. Facebook

Twitter now allows cannabis ads, while Facebook still restricts them. Here’s what you need to know:

Twitter permits cannabis ads from licensed sellers in legal areas
Facebook bans all cannabis ads
Twitter’s policy started February 16, 2023
Age restrictions apply: only users 21+ can see ads
Direct cannabis sales still prohibited on both platforms

Quick Comparison:

Feature	Twitter	Facebook
Cannabis Ads	Allowed	Not allowed
CBD Product Ads	Allowed (≤0.3% THC)	Allowed (topical only)
Age Targeting	21+	21+
Location Targeting	Legal areas only	Legal areas only
Direct Sales	Not allowed	Not allowed

This change gives cannabis companies new ways to reach customers, but strict rules still apply. The policy shift could impact the growing cannabis industry, especially for small businesses.

2. Twitter’s New Cannabis Ad Policy

Twitter now allows cannabis ads, but with rules. This change gives cannabis companies new ways to reach customers.

2.1 What’s Allowed

Twitter’s new policy lets approved cannabis advertisers target U.S. users. Here’s what they can and can’t do:

Can Do	Can’t Do
Promote brand	Sell cannabis directly
Share info about cannabis	Advertise ingestible products
Advertise topical CBD products (≤0.3% THC)	Target users under 21

2.2 Who Can Advertise

Not just anyone can run cannabis ads on Twitter. Companies must:

Requirement	Details
Get Twitter’s OK	Twitter must approve the advertiser
Have proper licenses	Must be licensed by authorities
Follow location rules	Can only target areas where they’re allowed to advertise

2.3 Rules to Follow

Twitter has set clear guidelines for cannabis ads:

Rule	Explanation
Age limit	No ads for users under 21
Follow laws	Must obey all cannabis marketing laws
Content guidelines	Ads must meet Twitter’s content rules

These rules aim to keep ads legal and appropriate while giving cannabis companies a new platform to reach customers.

3. Facebook’s Current Cannabis Ad Policy

3.1 Policy Summary

Facebook’s rules for cannabis ads are strict. The platform allows some educational content about cannabis but has tight limits on ads. Facebook lets advertisers promote topical CBD products, but they can’t use any words related to cannabis in the ads. This means ad makers must be very careful with their words to follow Facebook’s rules.

3.2 What’s Not Allowed

Facebook doesn’t allow ads that:

Not Allowed	Reason
Promote or sell cannabis products	Includes THC products
Advertise ingestible CBD products	Any CBD product you can eat or drink
Use cannabis-related words	Even for topical CBD product ads
Target users under 21	Age restriction for cannabis-related content

3.3 Ways to Work Within the Rules

While Facebook’s rules are tight, there are some ways cannabis businesses can use the platform:

Allowed	Details
Educational content	Share info about cannabis, but don’t promote products
Advocacy ads	Promote cannabis legalization, following Facebook’s rules

It’s important to note that these options are limited. Facebook might change its rules at any time. Cannabis businesses should read Facebook’s policy carefully and make sure their ads follow all the rules to avoid problems.

4. Twitter vs. Facebook: Policy Comparison

4.1 User Base and Reach

Twitter and Facebook have different user bases, which affects how cannabis businesses plan their marketing:

Platform	Monthly Active Users	Audience Characteristics
Twitter	440 million	Interested in real-time updates, news, discussions
Facebook	2.7 billion	Broader reach across various groups

Twitter users may be more open to cannabis content, while Facebook’s larger audience needs more careful targeting.

4.2 Ad Targeting Options

Both platforms offer ways to target ads, but with some differences:

Twitter Targeting	Facebook Targeting
Keywords	Demographics
Hashtags	Interests
Location	Behaviors
Interests	Connections

Facebook’s targeting is more detailed, allowing for more exact audience selection.

4.3 Content Rules

Twitter and Facebook have different rules for cannabis ads:

Twitter Rules	Facebook Rules
Allows cannabis-related content	Only allows topical CBD products
Permits CBD product ads (< 0.3% THC)	Allows educational content about cannabis

Twitter’s policy is more open, while Facebook’s is more limiting.

4.4 Following the Rules

Both platforms have guidelines for cannabis-related ads:

Twitter Guidelines	Facebook Guidelines
Show ads only to users 21+	Show ads only to users 21+
Target areas where cannabis is legal	Target areas where cannabis is legal
Avoid showing cannabis use	Avoid showing cannabis use

Advertisers must follow these rules to keep their accounts active and ads approved.

4.5 Cost and Budget

Ad costs differ between the platforms:

Platform	Cost per 1,000 Views
Twitter	$0.50 – $2.00
Facebook	$0.70 – $5.00

Twitter may be cheaper for smaller budgets, while Facebook offers more targeting options for larger budgets.

Choosing between Twitter and Facebook for cannabis ads depends on a business’s needs and goals. Understanding each platform’s features helps create better marketing plans to reach customers and boost sales.

5. Benefits of Twitter’s New Policy

5.1 More Reach

Twitter’s new policy lets cannabis businesses reach more people online. This helps them:

Benefit	Description
Bigger audience	Access to 330+ million active Twitter users
Brand growth	More people can learn about the business
More traffic	Can bring more visitors to their website
Increased sales	Potential for more customers and sales

5.2 Better Ad Targeting

The new rules help cannabis companies aim their ads at the right people:

Targeting Option	How It Helps
Keywords	Reach users interested in specific topics
Hashtags	Connect with trending conversations
Location	Target ads to areas where cannabis is legal
Interests	Show ads to users likely to buy cannabis products

This means ads can reach people who are more likely to be interested, making the ads work better.

5.3 Industry Acceptance

Twitter allowing cannabis ads shows that the industry is becoming more accepted:

Change	Impact
Less stigma	As laws change, people view cannabis more positively
Platform recognition	Big sites like Twitter see cannabis as a real business
More opportunities	Cannabis companies can reach new customers easier
Brand building	Businesses can grow their name and reputation

This shift helps make the cannabis industry more normal and gives businesses more ways to grow.

6. Drawbacks of Twitter’s Policy

While Twitter’s new policy helps cannabis businesses, it still has some problems.

6.1 Content Limits

Twitter allows some cannabis ads, but not everything:

Not Allowed	Explanation
Selling cannabis	Can’t promote direct sales
THC products	Only topical CBD products with ≤0.3% THC allowed
Edibles and drinks	No ads for cannabis food or beverages

These rules make it hard for cannabis companies to show all their products.

6.2 Location Rules

Twitter’s policy has strict location rules:

Rule	Details
US only	Ads can only target US users
State limits	Can only show ads where cannabis is legal

These rules limit who can see the ads, making it harder to reach customers.

6.3 Age Checking Problems

Twitter wants to make sure only adults see cannabis ads, but this is tricky:

Problem	Why It Matters
Weak age checks	Twitter’s tools might not stop all young users from seeing ads
Breaking rules	Companies might get in trouble if kids see their ads

These age issues can cause problems for cannabis businesses using Twitter ads.

In short, Twitter’s new policy helps cannabis companies, but it still has limits. Understanding these can help businesses use Twitter ads better.

7. Problems with Facebook’s Policy

7.1 Few Ad Choices

Facebook’s rules for cannabis ads are very strict. This makes it hard for companies to show their products and reach customers.

Problem	Effect
Can’t sell directly	Companies can’t advertise their products for sale
Limited ad types	Only a few kinds of ads are allowed
Strict rules	Ads must follow many rules, which limits what companies can say

These limits make it tough for cannabis businesses to create good ads on Facebook.

7.2 Hard to Build a Brand

Facebook doesn’t allow ads for cannabis products. This makes it hard for businesses to grow their brand and talk to customers.

Issue	Result
Less brand visibility	People don’t see the brand as much
Fewer customer talks	Customers don’t interact with brands that can’t show products
Hard to gain trust	Companies must work harder to make customers trust them

These problems make it difficult for cannabis businesses to become well-known on Facebook.

7.3 Risk of Account Shutdown

Facebook might shut down accounts that break its rules for cannabis ads. This can cause big problems for businesses.

Risk	What Happens
Account closed	Companies lose access to their account and can’t run ads
Ads rejected	Facebook might not show ads that break rules
Lost money	Companies can lose money if their account is closed or ads aren’t shown

To avoid these risks, cannabis businesses must be very careful to follow Facebook’s rules.

8. Effects on the Cannabis Industry

8.1 Market Growth

The cannabis industry is growing fast. Experts think it will keep growing by about 32% each year for the next seven years.

Year	Expected Market Size
2021	$28.266 billion
2028	$197.74 billion

As the industry grows, companies need to change how they market their products. Twitter’s new rules for cannabis ads give businesses a new way to reach customers.

8.2 New Marketing Approaches

Twitter’s new rules mean cannabis companies can try new ways to market their products. They can now:

Approach	Description
Work with influencers	Team up with popular cannabis experts on Twitter
Share helpful content	Make posts that teach people about cannabis
Use paid ads	Pay for Twitter ads to reach more people

These new ways of marketing can help cannabis companies grow their business on Twitter.

8.3 Impact on Small vs. Big Businesses

Twitter’s new rules affect small and big cannabis companies differently.

Business Size	Good Things	Hard Things
Small	Can reach more people	Might not have much money or know-how
Big	Have more money and experience	Need to be careful about their image and following rules

Small companies might find it easier to compete with big ones now. But they might not have as much money to spend on ads.

Big companies can spend more on ads, but they need to be careful about how people see them. They also need to make sure they follow all the rules.

Both small and big companies need to keep up with changing rules and make sure their ads follow Twitter’s policies.

9. Legal and Regulatory Issues

Cannabis ads face many rules. Twitter’s new policy shows how tricky these rules can be.

9.1 Federal and State Law Differences

The U.S. has different laws for cannabis ads:

Level	Law	Effect
Federal	Controlled Substances Act (1970)	Bans all cannabis ads
State	Varies by state	Some allow ads, some don’t

This mix of laws makes it hard for companies to make ads that follow all rules.

9.2 Local Ad Rules

Cities and counties can also make their own rules for cannabis ads. For example:

Local Rule	What It Means
No ads in certain areas	Can’t put up ads in some parts of town
Time limits	Can only show ads at certain times

Companies need to know these local rules. Breaking them can lead to fines or stopped ads.

9.3 Possible Future Changes

As more states okay cannabis use, laws might change. This could affect ads in a few ways:

Possible Change	What It Could Mean
Federal law updates	Might allow more cannabis ads
New tech rules	Could open up new ways to advertise

Ad makers need to keep an eye on these changes. They must be ready to change their ads to fit new rules.

Key Points	Why It Matters
Federal laws ban cannabis ads	Makes it hard to advertise across the U.S.
State laws differ	Companies must know rules for each state
Local rules add more limits	Ads must fit city or county rules too
Laws may change	Ad makers must stay up-to-date

10. Conclusion

10.1 Main Policy Differences

Twitter now allows some cannabis ads, while Facebook doesn’t. Here’s how they differ:

Platform	Cannabis Ad Policy
Twitter	Allows ads from licensed sellers in legal areas
Facebook	No cannabis ads allowed

Twitter’s new rules give cannabis companies more ways to reach customers online.

10.2 What’s Next

As cannabis becomes more common, social media sites might change their rules. Here’s what cannabis companies should watch for:

What to Watch	Why It’s Important
Other platforms’ policies	More places to advertise
Changes in laws	New rules to follow
Updates to Twitter’s policy	New ways to use the platform

Cannabis companies need to keep up with these changes to use social media well.

Tips for Cannabis Companies
Check platform rules often
Stay informed about local laws
Be ready to change ad plans quickly

FAQs

Yes, Twitter is the first major social media platform to let cannabis companies advertise in the United States. This change started on February 16, 2023.

What Twitter Allows	Details
Who can advertise	Licensed cannabis companies
Where ads can show	Only in areas where cannabis is legal
What can be advertised	Brand promotion and product information

This new policy gives cannabis companies more ways to reach customers online. However, there are still some rules to follow:

Ads must follow local laws
Only adults (21+) can see the ads
Companies can’t sell cannabis directly through Twitter

This change is big news for the cannabis industry. It might lead to more growth and new ways of marketing for cannabis businesses.