Understanding Instagrams Community Guidelines
Instagram metes out some community guidelines on what is acceptable to post on the social media platform. It applies to all users, whatever their subject is. When it comes to cannabis, Instagram treads that thin line between allowing personal expression and forbidding the promotion of illegal drugs.
As per the rules on Instagram, the social media platform does not allow any individual or organization to use the social media platform to sell or advertise drugs, including cannabis. That is regardless of the legality in states or countries where such cannabis is considered legal. However, Instagram permits people discussing the use of drugs medically and for recreational purposes, so long as they do not attempt to sell them.
What Instagram Does Allow
- Discussion of drug use for medical and recreational purposes
- Personal experiences with cannabis
- Educational content about cannabis
What Instagram Prohibits
- Advertising or sale of illegal or prescription drugs, including cannabis
- Sale of any cannabis products
- Encouragement of immoderate or hazardous consumption
Types of Cannabis Content on Instagram
Now that you have an understanding of the basic rules, let’s dive into the different types of cannabis-related content you can post on Instagram.
Photos and Videos about One’s Self
Most of the cannabis-related content that you’ll be posting on Instagram is picture or video posts, personally. You can post images or clips of using the product, such as an edible being taken or vaping with a disposable pen. Just be aware of who you allow to view your profile-or better yet, set it to private if you don’t want it seen by all.
- Post pictures and videos of themselves consuming cannabis products
- Be aware of your audience and set privacy settings where available
Educational Content
Another very viral type of cannabis content on Instagram is educational posts. One can post an article, infographic, or even video that might detail any single fact about cannabis, like its history, different strains, and their various effects, or the latest research on medical cannabis. So long as you aren’t promoting the sale of cannabis products, for the most part, this kind of content is generally cool on Instagram.
- Publish articles on history, strains, and research about cannabis.
- Inform without the purpose of selling a product
Cannabis-Related Memes and Humor
Who does not love a good meme? Cannabis humor is a big hit on Instagram, and there are numerous pages solely for sharing hilarious images and videos regarding weed culture. So long as your memes don’t glorify excessive use or promote the sale of cannabis products, have at it-get creative and bring some laughs to your followers.
- Share funny images and videos relevant to cannabis culture.
- Do not glorify excessive consumption.
Product Photos (Without Selling)
While selling cannabis products on Instagram is prohibited, posting pictures of them is. You can post a close-up picture of a strain of flower or a new type of concentrate and describe its traits and effects. Just make sure to note in your caption that the post is for informational purposes only, and you are in no way attempting to sell the product.
- Share cannabis product pictures for educational purposes only
- This post is not for the purpose of selling the product.
What to Avoid Posting
Just as important as knowing what you can post about cannabis on Instagram is knowing what to avoid. Here are some key things to avoid:
Sale of Cannabis Products
The biggest thing to absolutely avoid when it comes to cannabis on Instagram is attempting to sell cannabis. Posting prices, offering to sell/trade a product, or even directing individuals to a website to buy cannabis will get you into trouble with Instagram. Instagram might even suspend or ban your account for good.
- Do not post prices, offer to sell or trade, or direct people to purchase cannabis
- Anything exceeding this will result in suspension or termination of the account.
Encouraging Excessive Use
You are allowed to share your personal experiences, but try not to make it sound like an ad for excessive or unsafe usage. Instagram will flag and take posts that encourage irresponsible or reckless use.
- Not to praise or promote irresponsible or dangerous consumption of
Making Medical Claims
Another area in which not to make medicinal claims of cannabis, while there is a rising research field into the potential health benefits of cannabis, Instagram is not where you want to dole out medical advice. If you want to share information about medical cannabis, it’s best to stick to citing reputable sources and studies rather than making the claims yourself.
- Do not provide any medical advice regarding cannabis
- Instead, refer to main sources and studies without making claims.
How Instagram Algorithms Handle Cannabis Content
Once one learns what kind of cannabis content is tolerated on the platform, let’s look at how that content fares from an algorithmic standpoint. While Instagram does its moderation through a mix of automated systems and human reviewers, it isn’t entirely well-documented about the specifics of the algorithms in how they treat posts regarding cannabis.
Shadowbanning
One phenomenon some cannabis-related accounts report is shadowbanning. That is, when Instagram throttles the appearance of an account without formally suspending or banning them. The posts that have been shadowbanned may not appear in hashtag searches or on the explore page, making it harder for new people to find them.
Instagram has repeatedly denied the existence of shadowbanning, but many suspect the platform throttles the visibility of particular types of content, including cannabis-related posts. But it is difficult to say with complete certainty if this is actually happening, or why it is if it is.
- Some cannabis-related accounts have reported reduced visibility
- Instagram denies shadowbanning and only restricts the exposure of cannabis-related content.
Account Suspension or Termination
More serious offenses, where habitual violations mean Instagram has failed to adhere to community guidelines, might be the suspension or permanent termination of accounts for posting content that seeks to sell cannabis products, encouraging excessive use, or making medical claims.
- Repeated violation of community guidelines may include account restrictions.
Inconsistent Enforcement
Curiously, Instagram has been very spotty in terms of its enforcement when it comes to its guidelines on cannabis: while some accounts seem to sail through operating outside of the guidelines, others get in trouble over what would appear to be relatively minor postings. That makes it unduly tricky at best to know where the line in the sand is.
- Cannabis-related policies are not always consistently enforced
- Sometimes, accounts get penalized for certain content that goes through just fine on other accounts.
Navigating the Unknowns
Despite our making sense of the situation as far as Instagram goes with cannabis content, many things are still a mystery. The algorithms that run on the platform are complex and always in flux; any given post’s precise prediction simply can’t be made.
Algorithmic Responses to Cannabis-Related Content
While one may never know for certain how the algorithms at Instagram will actually treat cannabis-related content, here are some observed trends:
- The posts with cannabis hashtags have low reach.
- Accounts which repeatedly post about cannabis may have decreased visibility.
- Engagement rates on cannabis posts may be lower than other content
However, this is only observation-based and has not been officially confirmed as such by Instagram.
Staying Safe and Compliant
Given the uncertainty of explicit cannabis content in Instagram, it would be best to err on the side of caution:
- Read and abide fully with the community guidelines of Instagram.
- Emphasis on education, information, and the person, not on promotion or selling
- Be prepared for possible limitations of reach or account restrictions
- Keep monitoring your page for any indication of reduced visibility or engagement.
How to Post Cannabis Content on Instagram
If youre interested in sharing cannabis-related content on Instagram, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Focus on education, personal experiences, and humour rather than product promotion.
- Use relevant hashtags and engage your community.
- Consider making one solely for cannabis-related content.
- Periodically check and follow Instagram’s community guidelines
- Ensure your account does not have any trace of a shadowban/visibility reduction.
If followed, these guidelines and best practices make sharing your love for cannabis on Instagram a little safer with minimal risk of running afoul of the platform’s policies.
Conclusion
Posting cannabis-related content on Instagram is rather a balancing act: on the one hand, it’s a great opportunity to share your experience, educate others, and find your community. On the other hand, there are strict guidelines to observe and risks that come along with every action. You will successfully post on Instagram by being aware of what is acceptable there, avoiding those activities which might get you banned, and keeping yourself abreast of policies on Instagram. Just remember that responsible consumption and adherence to rules will prevent you from receiving negative repercussions.
Instagram at the end of it all is an excellent avenue to express oneself and find community through shared interests. With a little TLC, you can optimize this platform for your purpose in a way that fosters communication with other people and shares your love of cannabis on safe and compliant grounds.