Twitter has announced an update to its marijuana advertising policy, allowing certified advertisers to showcase packaged cannabis products in their promoted ad creative. The move comes as a response to feedback from the cannabis industry and aims to provide more opportunities for cannabis companies to promote their brands. The previous policy update in February already allowed cannabis businesses to advertise and link back to their websites in select legal states. However, it remains unclear whether the new policy permits photos of actual flower or joints out of their packaging.
While the revised policy has been welcomed by many in the cannabis industry, there have been concerns about the implementation of the changes. Some businesses have reported issues with Twitter’s ad tracking system, long wait times for support, and challenges in setting geographic parameters for targeted advertising. Additionally, there have been complaints about the cost-prohibitive nature of advertising marijuana brands on Twitter.
Twitter’s U.S. sales and partnerships team, led by Alexa Alianiello, has been responsive to feedback and emphasized partnerships with key cannabis brands. Alianiello acknowledged the temporary high cost thresholds for marijuana advertising, attributing them to strong initial demand from the industry. Twitter aims to continuously revisit its policies and improve them based on market feedback.
Google also updated its cannabis advertising policy earlier this year, allowing the promotion of FDA-approved drugs containing CBD and topical CBD products with low THC content. However, Google restricts these ad opportunities to specific states. Twitter’s previous restrictions on advertising limited CBD products in specific states appear to have been removed.
It is worth noting that Twitter’s CEO, Elon Musk, has been involved in the marijuana debate on multiple occasions, generating controversy and drawing attention to the topic. Musk’s leadership at Twitter has faced criticism for various issues, including staff firings and system updates. The company has also sparked controversy with its decision to remove the “verified” status of many “legacy” users, opting for a paid model for verifications.
In summary, Twitter’s updated marijuana advertising policy allows certified advertisers to feature packaged cannabis products in their ad creative, providing more opportunities for cannabis businesses. While the policy has been generally well-received, there have been concerns about its implementation and the cost of advertising on the platform. Twitter aims to address these concerns and improve its policies based on feedback from the cannabis industry.
