Facebook and Instagram ease up on weed
Cannabis-related content now searchable on Facebook and Instagram
In a major shift for digital visibility in the cannabis industry, Meta has quietly updated its search functions across Facebook and Instagram to allow cannabis-related content to appear in user queries. This move opens new opportunities for advocacy organizations, educational accounts, and legal businesses to be discovered on two of the world’s largest social platforms.
Users can now search for cannabis-related terms on Facebook and Instagram and find educational content, public health accounts, advocacy organizations, and legal business pages, without being blocked or redirected. Until recently, searches for terms like “marijuana” or “cannabis dispensary” would often yield no results or trigger warnings discouraging drug-related activity.
The change appears to be limited to search visibility. Meta continues to prohibit the sale of cannabis via ads or commerce tools and may still restrict direct promotion, especially in jurisdictions where marijuana remains federally or locally illegal. Business pages must still adhere to community standards and are not permitted to list prices or offer sales directly on the platform.
Industry stakeholders and advocacy groups have welcomed the update as a step toward normalization and fairer digital treatment. Organizations such as NORML and SSDP have advocated for Meta and other tech platforms to adapt their policies to align with evolving state laws and legitimate cannabis commerce.
For Missouri cannabis operators, the change means improved discoverability. Verified pages for dispensaries, manufacturers, or advocacy groups can now appear in search results when users seek out local cannabis resources. That is particularly significant in a state where legal marijuana sales have surpassed $2 billion since adult use began.
Although paid cannabis advertising remains heavily restricted on Meta platforms, the expanded search visibility may help brands build organic reach and connect with their audience more directly. Businesses should ensure their pages are fully verified, clearly state that they do not conduct sales through the platform, and remain in compliance with community guidelines to maintain visibility.
This adjustment reflects a broader trend in tech policy, slowly inching toward parity for cannabis in the digital space. While Meta’s update does not resolve all limitations on cannabis communication, it signals progress in making legal marijuana education and outreach more accessible.
