PHOENIX, May 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hemp Industries
Association® (HIA®), in association with Hoban
Law Group, Bluebird Botanicals, and Bish Enterprises, is launching
a national campaign aimed at addressing Facebook's current
advertising policy of prohibiting the marketing and promotion of
industrial hemp via Facebook and Instagram. Although hemp was
redefined as an agricultural commodity, explicitly removing it from
the purview of the Controlled Substances Act and the jurisdiction
of the Drug Enforcement Administration with the passage of the 2018
Farm Bill, the current Facebook policy still classifies hemp as an
illegal, prescription or recreational drug.
"With the passage of the farm bill, it seemed there would be a
new dawn for stakeholders of the hemp industries absolving them
from confusion over whether hemp is a federally controlled
substance – it's not," said Colleen Keahey
Lanier, Executive Director of the Hemp Industries
Association. "But hemp entrepreneurs nationwide are currently being
denied access to one of the most powerful marketing platforms in
the world for small businesses restricted to outdated policies that
continue to conflate hemp with marijuana. Not all of
Cannabis is considered a drug, and Facebook's new AI
technology is already obsolete if it continues to recognize images
of Cannabis as a controlled substance generally."
Marketing limitations imposed by Facebook actually exceed what
is required by law and have had a significant impact on hemp
companies' capacity to develop their digital presence. Facebook,
with its 2.38 billion monthly users, represents a massive market
for small businesses. For new entrepreneurs looking to break into
the growing hemp industry, being denied access to the social media
platform's advertising capabilities represents a massive
roadblock.
"Our goal is to change Facebook's current policy by applying
pressure in the most public way possible," said Lanier. "They use a
wide-reaching platform to communicate and so are we."
The digital advertisement, which simply reads "Facebook: Stop
Censoring Hemp" will run daily in Times Square until August 24. In addition, the Association is
coordinating a massive grassroots campaign among its more than
1,500 members in support of the much-needed policy change.
"We are asking all hemp supporters -- advocates, farmers,
processors, manufacturers, retailers and consumers -- to join the
movement and help us turn Facebook green," Lanier said. "Hemp
advertisements are allowed in Times Square, so why not on Facebook?
Hemp is completely legal under federal law."
The Times Square declaration also promotes a call to action,
urging viewers to visit the campaign's official communication
portal, HempIsLegal.org, to sign a petition of support.
For more information about the campaign,
visit: www.HempIsLegal.org
About the Hemp Industries Association ®
Hemp Industries Association ® (HIA®) is a 501(c)(6),
membership-based, non-profit organization that works to advance the
hemp economy and educate the market for the benefit of members, the
public, and the planet. Since its founding in 1994, The HIA has
worked tirelessly for its 1,500-plus members to expand and protect
the sale and marketing of hemp products. The culmination of that
work was the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, which officially
redefined hemp as an agricultural commodity and removed it from the
purview of the Controlled Substances Act, thereby paving the way
for a massive expansion of the market and positioning hemp
producers to be a global economic force.
For more information, visit www.thehia.org
For interviews with HIA leadership, contact Robert Hamm at robert@thehia.org
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SOURCE Hemp Industries Association