As the legalization of cannabis continues to sweep across several U.S states, CBD (Cannabidiol) has become even more popular. It explains why social media is abuzz with CBD adverts, marketing messages, and discussion threads. Facebook and Instagram are particularly notorious platforms where people talk about the best cbd cartridges, uses of Cannabidiol, vape pens and more.
While CBD is a non-psychoactive extract (chemical compound) from the hemp and cannabis plant, its legalization gives rise to many challenges and questions.
JUUL Labs Inc, which is the largest vaping company in the U.S.A, is battling several lawsuits relating to social media vaping ads that target teenagers. From schools, public health intuitions, the Federal Drug Administration to states, JUUL Labs finds itself in the middle unending legal battles, pitting it against drug use policymakers and activists from different quarters. The company faces accusations of triggering a storm that has since been described as a teenage vaping epidemic in states like Massachusetts. The big question is how social media depict CBD, including the use of the best cbd vape cartridge? Find out more in this post.
CBD on Facebook and Twitter
Facebook has been categorical in its advertiser policies, especially when it comes to promoting vaping products on the platform. It is; however, reported that the company has relaxed its restriction on hemp-derived CBD, save for the promotion of cannabis-derived CBD. The big question is whether there are advertising loopholes that vaping companies can still exploit or not. Taking note that in the last five years; there has been an upsurge in CBD vaping among teenagers, it goes that Ad restrictions by the social media giant (Facebook) are not effective. A lot of vaping and CBD posts are posted on the platform every day.
A revelation that more high schoolers and college students are viewing vaping Ads further complicates the matter. It is backed by a publication on Cannabis Law Report stating that Facebook may have not executed its outright ban on all CDB related Ads. Sellers can still post Facebook ads featuring topical and hemp-derived CBD and directly link them to landing pages on their websites. To further cement this argument, a quick search on Facebook using terms such as cbd oil cartridge pulls up several pages, groups, posts and discussion threads that promote vape pens, e-cigarette, CBD oil, and other CBD-derivatives.
CBD on Instagram
First off, it is noteworthy that Instagram is a Facebook-owned social media platform. Thus, the big question is, what does it mean for companies seeking to promote CBD products? Well, like with Facebook, the platform is filled with influencer marketing campaigns and overt Ads posted by people in the vaping industry. From posts that highlight benefits of potent CBD oil tincture, video stories that invite Instagram users to follow blogs that sell CBD vaping products to images depicting people using CBD-derived health products, Instagram is a leading social media network where companies reap thousands of Ad clicks and followers. The fact that most posts relating to CBD products go unnoticed on this platform made it a prime target by companies such as JUUL labs.
Moreover, taking into consideration Farm Bill 2018 that President Trump signed into law, it is noteworthy that a lot has changed regarding social media advertising of hemp-derived CBD. Unlike Marijuana, hemp is no longer controlled hence CBD oil extracted from it can be marketed and advertised on Instagram. However, the caveat is whether Instagram has a mechanism for detecting adverts that overtly promote marijuana CBD to teenagers. A study by the Center for Innovative Public Health Research found out that CBD marketing campaigns and Ads depicting CBD products are all over social media. It lends credence to accusations the FDA and other organized brought against JUUL Labs.
With Instagram also comes the challenge of marketing cbd cartridge to teenagers. From using young-looking models to promote CBD products, using Instagram influencers whose followers are mostly teenagers to placing Ads on websites that target kids such as Nickelodeon, JUUL Labs is also accused of propagating drug abuse on social media. It comes in the wake of increased drug misuse among teenagers.
While the Instagram advertising policy on CBD products is not clear, the fact that Farm Bill excludes hemp from controlled substances brings another twist to CBD use. The social media platform permits companies and individuals to post messages and paid Ads relating to hemp CBD. Marketing or advertising cannabis CBD is, however, not allowed on Instagram, albeit some companies/individuals do it overtly. The role of the FDA, therefore, comes to the fore, especially its role in curbing illegal advertising that targets teenagers on social media. The more pronounced way of advertising these products on Instagram is notably linking to the advertiser's website/blog.
CBD on YouTube
From capsules, creams, oils, pens, cbd prefilled cartridge, gummies, tinctures to pills, YouTube is another social media that vaping companies that are using to market CBD products. In states where cannabis is legalized; YouTube users have access to thousands of CBD marketing and advertising video content. It is also true for states where hemp-derived CBD is legal. A quick YouTube search pulls up thousands of Cannabidiol-related videos.
Depending on the popularity of a YouTube channel, especially those that specialize in CBD, titles of videos range from extraction of Cannabidiol, interviews of vaping industry experts, side effects of Cannabidiol, product reviews to reasons explaining why more people are using Cannabidiol products. At the center of JUUL-FDA legal battle is a suit on wrongful use of YouTube to promote vaping products to teenagers.
Final Thoughts on CBD and Social Media
The hype about Cannabidiol is here to stay, especially with more states legalizing the use of marijuana. And because hemp is no longer a controlled substance, we can only witness an increase in the manufacturing of products laced with CBD. On social media, the storm rages on, especially discussions promoting the use of CBD pills and capsules, not to mention vape pens, pods, and cartridges. Moreover, given the power of social media in marketing and advertising, companies that manufacture vaping products can only continue to capitalize on loopholes that exist in social media marketing policies and legalization of marijuana/hemp.
