Cannabis Content Creators Outsmart Social Media Censorship With Creative Tactics

Cannabis creators are fighting a daily battle with social media algorithms that flag, suppress, or outright ban cannabis-related content, forcing them to adopt inventive techniques to keep their voices alive online. As reported by High Times, platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have become unpredictable digital gatekeepers, where even a single mention of “marijuana” can result in a shadowban or account suspension. This has led to a new era of coded language and visual trickery, as influencers and educators navigate what has become a high-stakes game of digital charades

Josh Kesselman, founder of RAW and publisher at High Times, has become a master at outwitting these censors. He advocates for originality and constant adaptation, explaining, “You’d be surprised how inventive you can be.” Kesselman once found success using “pretzels” as a codeword in his videos, but the tactic lost effectiveness once algorithms caught on. “The views went down to almost zero as soon as I used a pretzel. You move on to something else,” he shared. His strategy now includes skipping trigger words entirely or letting viewers infer the meaning through context, winks, and visual cues such as literal broccoli or green tea

While some creators rely on euphemism, others have adopted a scientific approach. Riley Cannabichem, known for her educational cannabis content, deliberately uses technical terms like “cannabis,” “THC,” and “CBD,” but frames them within research and science. “I’m typically talking about research studies or fun facts about the plant—all backed by science—and I think the algorithm sees the scientific basis and allows it to stay, but who knows what’s really going on,” she explained. This method appears to grant some immunity, as algorithmic censors tend to be more lenient when content is presented as educational rather than promotional

Danielle Russell, also known as Edible Dee, has rewritten her books and social media content to avoid censorship, using phrases like “infusing with happiness” or “magic” instead of explicit references. “To bypass censorship, focus on using alternative platforms, fostering collaborations, and employing process/science language over consumer/lifestyle language where possible,” Russell advised. Natalia Kesselman, editorial director at El Planteo, has gone a step further by using artificial intelligence to pre-screen content, asking AI tools to flag explicit terms and rate the “reliability index,” a move she describes as digital guerrilla warfare

Timing also plays a crucial role, with creators posting content in the middle of the night in specific time zones to avoid human moderators. Despite these sophisticated maneuvers, creators acknowledge that no tactic lasts forever, as algorithms evolve and learn new codes. “I truly believe that someone pays to try to keep my posts down, to try to get reported and all these things. And so I have to be more conservative than most,” Josh Kesselman revealed. This constant cat-and-mouse dynamic underscores the resilience and creativity at the heart of cannabis culture’s digital survival

From the OG Lab newsroom perspective, these ongoing efforts to outmaneuver social media censorship highlight both the challenges and ingenuity within the cannabis community. As algorithms grow increasingly sophisticated, the industry will need to continue innovating to ensure its voice remains heard. This era of coded language and AI-assisted strategy could set new precedents for how other regulated industries communicate online