Alaska weed dispensaries are seeing their Facebook pages mysteriously shut down: report

At least six marijuana shops throughout Alaska have had their Facebook pages taken down in the past week, a report from the Alaska Dispatch News reveals.

Weed shops in Fairbanks and Anchorage, among others, have said their pages have been taken down to the detriment of their advertising — and according to Facebook’s community standards, that’s perfectly OK.

Under the “regulated goods” section of Facebook’s community standards page, the social network prohibits “any attempts by private individuals to purchase, sell, or trade prescription drugs, marijuana, firearms or ammunition.”

Because of the difference in state and federal laws regarding marijuana sale and advertising -- it’s legal on the state level in Alaska and some others, but continues to be illegal federally -- Anchorage marijuana lawyer Jana Weltzin told the Dispatch News that Facebook still prohibits it.

“This is not a new thing,” Weltzin said. “If you’re doing something that’s illegal and Facebook knows that, they try to not promote that. It’s still illegal under federal law.”

Alaska's laws about advertising marijuana are vague, but the shops' Facebook page closings prompted Weltzin to bring up the issue to the state's Marijuana Control Board at their next meeting.