OPEN LETTER TO META: END THE CENSORSHIP OF CANNABIS, PSYCHEDELIC, AND HARM REDUCTION COMMUNITIES
OPEN LETTER TO META: END THE CENSORSHIP OF CANNABIS, PSYCHEDELIC, AND HARM REDUCTION COMMUNITIES
To the Leadership and Content Moderation Teams at Meta Platforms, Inc.,
We write to you today on behalf of a broad coalition of students, educators, researchers, advocates, entrepreneurs, and community leaders working at the forefront of drug policy reform, harm reduction, and public health. We are deeply concerned by Meta’s ongoing and disproportionate censorship of content related to cannabis, psychedelics, and harm reduction—particularly as it affects organizations and individuals striving to share evidence-based education, foster informed dialogue and critical thinking, build support for vital public health initiatives, and advocate for necessary policy change.
Accounts committed to public education, legal and policy advocacy, research dissemination, and harm reduction services—including those of licensed healthcare professionals, nonprofits, and legal businesses—have been routinely shadowbanned, deplatformed, or had their posts removed with little explanation or recourse, despite operating in full compliance with local laws.
This suppression is not merely an inconvenience; it is a form of digital marginalization.
At a time when overdose deaths are a continued concern and mental health crises are accelerating, it is vital that evidence-based, life-saving information is not censored. Harm reduction and drug education save lives. Cannabis and psychedelic therapies are supported by rigorous scientific research and show promise for conditions ranging from PTSD to depression to addiction. These are not fringe topics, but crucial conversations impacting the health and wellbeing of our community.
Meta’s platforms are among the most powerful communication tools in human history. With that power comes significant responsibility.
We, the undersigned, call on Meta to:
- End discriminatory bans and shadowbans on accounts related to cannabis, psychedelics, and harm reduction when they operate within legal guidelines.
- Establish clear, transparent, and consistent content policies that distinguish between promotion of the sale of illegal substances and legitimate drug education and advocacy.
- Create a dedicated appeals and accountability process specific to drug-related content that includes community stakeholders and subject-matter experts.
- Engage in regular dialogue with the psychedelic, cannabis, and harm reduction communities to better understand our work and co-create equitable guidelines for content moderation.
Censorship of science, public health, legal, and public policy discourse is not an act of neutrality; it causes harm. As the cultural and legal landscapes around these issues evolve, so too must your policies. We urge you to act now, to stand with truth, compassion, and innovation.
Sincerely,
Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP)
Joined By:
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)
Minorities for Medical Marijuana
South African Network of People who Use Drugs
AHRA (Southeast Asia Harm Reduction Association)
The National Psychedelics Association
Mothers Against Cruel Sentencing (MACS)
mushWOMB | mothers of the mushroom | mama de la myco
Psychedelic Society of Minnesota
Central Oregon Psychedelic Society
Eleusis-Society (Swiss Psychedelic Society)
San Francisco Psychedelic Society
Santa Cruz Psychedelic Society
Psychedelic Society of Texas (PsyT)
California Center for Psychedelic Therapy
Community Alliance for Psychedelics and Spirituality (CAPS)
Psychedelic Safety, Support, and Integration – Chicago
Sol Temple Consciousness Center
Corporación Acción Técnica Social ATS
ENCOD European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies
Cannabis Socialclub Hannover e. V.
Mínima Dosis Podcast (Colombia)
La Testería / Barbies Testeadoras del Bajío
Berlin Roots Support Community
Companies and organizations interested in joining as a cosigner can still do so by submitting their information to SSDP via an online form.
Individuals—including students, educators, researchers, advocates, entrepreneurs, and community leaders working at the forefront of drug policy reform, harm reduction, and public health—who are deeply concerned by Meta’s ongoing and disproportionate censorship of content related to cannabis, psychedelics, and harm reduction can join the call for change by signing our online petition.
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