- Leafly
- Weedmaps
The Cannabis Industry (marijuana, medical marijuana, weed, ganja, pot, hemp, cannabis, maryjane, etc.) is created of many various sections.
- Storefronts (dispensary, pharmacy, collective, cooperative, etc)
- Delivery (dispensary, collective, cooperative, etc.)
- Growers
- Marketers
- Advocates
- News Groups
- Political Groups
- Educators
- Health Care Professions
- Packaging
- Laboratories
- Research and Development
- Product Manufacturing, Development
- Edibles
- Regulation Groups
- and much much more
Websites that advertise medical marijuana – cannabis – items that are those things – GENERALLY do NOT sell those items online – based simply on legalization and state regulations.
They are VIEWABLE items only – and transactions do not occur via anonymous purchase and mail delivery. Instead – they operate much like a pharmacy does — they display the item online – consumer needs to go to the location to purchase the item or pick up the item —- OR — it needs to be physically delivered to the patient at their home location by a company person…
- Much like WALGREENS, or Rexall or Walmart – and a billion other pharmacies.
If your response is that the US Government has stated there is NO MEDICAL USE – then I ask you to view the US GOVT patent on Medical Cannabis Usage as a Neuroprotectant and Antioxidant… I also ask you to then actually study cannabis as a science – instead of as a “drug” – which leads to a completely different conversation outside of this.
If your response is that it is considered Federally Illegal – then I ask you to read the laws, the current legalization that is going on – to understand that a majority of states are now at legalization levels – which overturns (LEGALLY) federal laws – of course – that is, again another discussion for another location.)
HERE ARE THE ISSUES:
- Currently – most websites that are related to the cannabis industry – are not given the right to advertise on Adwords, Adsense or other advertising methods by Google, etc.
- It has also been determined that there may be ranking issues if a website is geared towards the cannabis industry – however those guidelines are not published.
- There are no guidelines established for the Cannabis Industry – like the Alcohol Industry, Tobacco Industry, etc.
ADWORDS POLICY CLEARLY DICTATES RULES – BUT CERTAIN COMPANIES ARE PERMITTED TO VIOLATE THOSE RULES AND ADVERTISE
Adwords has policy (however idiotic I think these policies are) — that are blatantly being “sidestepped” for sites like Leafly and Weedmaps — while not allowing the common other pieces of the industry to advertise or rank.
Thus — GUIDELINES ARE NEEDED
It is stated in the rules:
https://support.google.com/adwordspolicy/answer/176024?hl=en
| Product | Allowed? | Details |
| Drugs | Google doesn’t allow substances that can alter the function of the brain to induce unnatural euphoria, or alter reality, such as marijuana, cocaine, magic mushrooms, herbal ecstasy, etc. | |
| Drug paraphernalia | Google doesn’t allow accessories associated with drug use, such as water pipes, bongs, and vaporizers. | |
| Aids to pass drug tests | Google doesn’t allow aids to pass drug tests, such as drug test cleansing. | |
| Products made from hemp | Google allows the promotion of products made from hemp, such as bags, rope, food, etc. However, these products will be given a non-family safe status. | |
| Accessories that reference drugs | * Country-specific restrictions apply. See the section above. | Google allows the promotion of accessories that reference drugs, such as t-shirts, posters, mugs, etc. |
| Vaporizers as an aromatherapy device | Google allows the promotion of vaporizers when promoted as a humidifier or as an aromatherapy device to relieve respiratory symptoms. |
If your ad gets disapproved for violating this policy, try reviewing the following tips to help resolve your issue:
| Disapproval reason | What does it mean? | What do I do now? |
| Drugs and drug paraphernalia | Your ad or website is promoting drugs or drug paraphernalia (accessories). | Remove all references to drugs or drug paraphernalia from your ad text and website. Once you’ve made any necessary changes, you can then resubmit your ad for review, following the instructions in the section below. |
With the cannabis industry most assuredly coming to the US Market – it is unfair that aggregates like Leafly (sorry, they are an amazing website and valuable to the cannabis industry) are permitted to rank and to advertise across the network – while others are not.
Please create and maintain a guideline that webmasters may follow – in order to effectively rank and advertise on Google.
Notably Needed:
Icons, images or logos permitted (can they contain marijuana leaf or cannabis plant reference)
Content Permitted (what is allowed, if they offer items – can they say what those items are – how to get them – etc?)
Linking Permitted (can they link to each other? Will that change ranking or advertising capability?)
And much more..
This is a serious question – and a serious issue.
The Cannabis Industry – as a whole – is actually happening – regardless of your opinion of the industry, or your knowledge of it.
It has been legalized in over 23 states with many more already in political forecast. It has been decriminalized in many more.
Most people are not educated on cannabis and have lived their lives being told that it is an “evil” – “bad” thing that causes bad things. They have not studied it – nor become educated about it – except for what has been given to them by the very governments that have a patent out on it for medical usage…
While this post does not wish to educate people on Cannabis – this post is requesting guidelines to be fair – and to provide specific information – regardless of individual knowledge or “devout” understanding of cannabis – whether you agree with it or not – this industry is happening – and the industry NEEDS GUIDELINES TO WORK WITH.
Cannabis Websites GUIDELINE Request - Leafly and Weedmaps allowed to Rank
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