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Typically we create guides to discuss how to build a fan base or attract more users to your application but I figured today would be a great day to explain how to distribute illicit drugs using Facebook! Alright, maybe that’s not what this article is completely about but apparently, “Some California pot sellers are misusing social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter for selling marijuana.”
A “Los Angeles-based non-profit medical-marijuana dispensary Artists Collective” has decided to start promoting their services through social media including the free delivery of marijuana orders. While Northern California versions of these pot selling collectives generate a profit, none of the companies will accept orders from out of state. So if you were looking for an easy way to get you kicks through Facebook, placing an order for some weed is probably not going to be the best way.
While we’ve reached out to Facebook, we haven’t heard anything back yet. I’ll be sure to update this post if we do hear from them. One company, the Artists Collective, has been promoting their business via Twitter. A random tweet from the company states, “Happy Tuesday! BB Kush, NY Soma, SD Strom, Forrest G, Green C all in stock, quarter purchase get one gram of RD Haze free. Free delivery.”
It’s an aggressive strategy but considering that their business is already pushing the limits, it’s not surprising to see this type of activity. If you plan on selling weed you may want to take the legitimate route and move out to California. Alternatively you can really push your luck and promote your illegal distribution business on Facebook, but we don’t recommend doing it.
We reached out to one anonymous weed dealer who said, “Yo man, I gotta keep myself on the down low homie. Moving above the radar on sites like Facebook is mad hot yo and that’s why I prefer to work through referrals. Are you a cop by the way?” Alright, maybe we didn’t actually speak to a weed dealer but we figured this is what one would say. If you are looking to sell weed on Facebook you may want to check out the strategy of companies like the Artists Collective.
Is selling weed on Facebook an activity that will be in your future?
Update
Barry Schnitt of Facebook has provided us with the following statement: “We do not allow people to promote illegal activities on Facebook. Section 3.4 of the SRR states: You will not use Facebook to do anything unlawful, misleading, malicious, or discriminatory.
I’d add that people who use Facebook to co-ordinate illegal activities are fools. We will aid in the prosecution of people orchestrating illegal activities off of Facebook, such as in this case. We work hard to make Facebook a safe and secure environment, and we encourage users to report anything suspicious. We also include a specific tool for reporting drug-related content.”
I also replied looking for clarification about the example of the Twitter account and if they would ban it if the same activity took place on Facebook. I’ll be sure to update this once I hear back.
Update 2
Facebook has replied to our second question in which we asked if the Artists Collective created a Facebook group if they’d be banned. According to Facebook, “the group would be disabled and we might take further action against the admin accounts.”
Funny funny stuff Nick!
Thanks for sharing
Did you get permission to use the Artists Collective image, or did you just steal it?
Nowhere in your story do you mention:
1. We’re a licensed California non-profit following all laws regarding how our organization is set up.
2. Our organizational goal is to raise money for art opportunity grants for artists, writers, performers and musicians.
Marijuana is a $125 billion business. We believe it could be a powerful fundraising engine for non-profit charities. That’s the example we’re setting.
We hope in the future you’ll be open to all sides of the story, as all good journalists are.
Haha good stuff man.
Hahah seriously? This is too funny!
That’s probably the worst weed dealer impression I’ve ever seen.
Some more information for those interested:
We just wanted to go on record that the idea that we’re “Pot Dealers” using Facebook and Twitter to specifically “sell” anything is erronious. It’s just not true!
1. We’re a California non-profit public benefit corporation. We have organizational goals which include our POLICY BELIEF that the $125 billion spent on marijuana in America would be better utilized as an economic engine for non-profit charities.
2. We don’t sell anything on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter or online. We’re using social networking just to update our collective’s members about what’s available. You cannot receive anything from Artists Collective unless you’re a member of our collective. And to be a member, you must be a VERIFIED California medical marijuana patient.
3. This is free speech! Why shouldn’t we have the right to talk about our policy beliefs?
If we were using Twitter of Facebook to do transactions, AGREED! But we don’t. We use them as communication tools. We don’t believe government can solve all of our social problems, nor do we believe corporations care to try.
We’re looking for a new way. We wish you’d spend more time looking at the substance of what we’re doing and less time looking for sensationalistic aspects.
If you did, our country might be better served by your efforts.
Have you seen they are even thinking of making all of it legal in Cali just so they can get out of their budget mess.
Your narrow minded agenda is unconscionable in a country where Free Speech has been the cornerstone for hundreds of years. This site was for information purposes only to spread its message that medical marijuana could be used for social good and not to line the pockets of criminals. If you had cared to explore any of the information which was clearly available, you would have known that it did not break Facebook’s terms of use. This is a radical new idea of what to do with the proceeds of what is legal in California as well as 11 other states. What Facebook did today, and they should be ashamed of themselves, is to abridge a non profit’s First Amendment right of free speech. Would you rather allow neo nazi’s to promote their hate and intolerance rather than have someone who is promoting social good? Maybe, because it’s too radical, you just don’t understand it. And maybe, if it was 1776 and our forefathers were promoting independence and other radical ideas like freedom of speech and freedom of the press, you wouldn’t like that either. If you are going to write something, make sure it’s accurate. This definitely wasn’t. Shame on you.
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i wish i could get a extra gram of RD Haze with a quarter purchase. damn i need to move to cali..
where im from we cant even smoke a cig with 20 feet of any building.