Just as Alaska’s Cannabis businesses start to grow, another hurdle is appearing for the budding industry.
Facebook, the social media giant, shut down almost every Alaskan pot shop’s business page in one large swoop over the 4th of July holiday.
Many Cannabis businesses say this is a shot in the leg.
Advertising regulations in the state are strict, so it can be difficult to use traditional outlets like television and newspaper.
For the marijuana industry, Facebook is an avenue where users 21 and under are blocked, and people can opt in or out of seeing cannabis industry information.
Every local shop’s page has been shut down, along with a majority of the statewide shops, forcing many to restart their pages.
Facebook sent out a response to the businesses saying (quote) “We remove any promotion or encouragement of drug use.” (end quote)
The Executive Director of the Alaska Marijuana industry association, Cary Carrigan, says this unfairly targets Alaska businesses, and that it has not been done in other states like Oregon.
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