Content Portfolio: 5 Tips For Marketing Cannabis on TikTok

Posted in 2022, Be sure to read their current community standards and policies:

Here's what I learned about marketing Cannabis on TikTok

"TikTok Is a Dead end I wouldn't pursue it"

Challenge accepted.

That’s what my boss told me when I first joined the team. And while I understood the concern — TikTok has tight restrictions around cannabis content — I couldn’t resist the challenge. The cannabis industry in the U.S. has always been about adapting and innovating. So I set out to find what was possible on the platform. We were given incentives to hit 100k and get a week of lunch catered to the office.

I’ll be honest: I had a few dummy accounts nuked in the process. But we eventually cracked it — amassing over a million views in under a year by experimenting, adjusting, and learning the rules of the game. These are the five biggest lessons I took away from that journey:

1. Avoid using the words "cannabis" and "marijuana" in the text.

I found that anytime we would use the words cannabis or marijuana in the text it would get banned. The brand I worked for used a weekly news format on Instagram and Youtube to stay in the zeitgeist, however, these videos were getting pulled immediately off of TikTok. Instead of using the words cannabis and marijuana, I would utilize words our grandparents and parents used to describe them.

An example of euphemistic language, I would even refer to it as, "the plant" or use emojis to convey the message. Every time we used the words “cannabis” or “marijuana” in captions, our videos got flagged or pulled. TikTok’s moderation doesn’t leave much wiggle room. So we got creative.

Instead of naming the plant, we leaned on euphemisms — "the plant," "leafy greens," or even just emojis 🌿. The strategy worked. We found a workaround into #Cannatok without triggering moderation.

It’s not ideal, and I’d love to be more direct. But until the policies evolve, this is how we stay in the conversation.

2. Avoid showing the plant and paraphernalia

This one stings, but it’s critical: don’t show actual cannabis or anything that looks like it. That includes bongs, bowls, even fake plants.

One of our most promising videos — a piece on "brick weed" hidden in car tires — was removed just shy of 100,000 views. Another was pulled for showing a fake plant in someone's hand.

Want to do a joint tutorial? Cool — roll a burrito instead. TikTok’s strict rules can be frustrating, but they also push you to think outside the box.

3. Leverage Personal Experience & Perspective

If you’ve ever smoked with someone who blew the bowl, that’s content. If you’ve used a terrible plastic grinder, that’s content.

Even if you don’t use cannabis often — or at all — your proximity to the culture matters. I rarely consume myself, but as a lifelong Coloradan, I’ve been around the industry for over a decade. That perspective helped me craft authentic, relatable content without trying to be something I’m not.

One of my biggest wins came from recounting my childhood in the D.A.R.E. program. That story — a blend of nostalgia, humor, and cultural critique — hit 674,000 views (as of this writing). The company hadn't even come close to 100k on any platform before I got there. Challenge completed.

We'd get a week of lunch catered to us. It ended up being Vegan food though. I had to drive an hour to pick it up one day too.

4. Be Educational

TikTok thrives on simple, digestible how-tos. Show someone how to air out a room or smoke without leaving a smell. Teach what CBD is. Explain how a grinder works. Even cannabis-adjacent topics can gain traction if they solve a real-life problem.

A great example is Josh from RAW — he uses incense to demo airflow while smoking indoors. It’s clever, indirect, and super useful.

The cannabis audience on TikTok is curious. Meet them with value, not just vibes.

5. Use Trending Audios

TikTok is a sound-first platform. That means audio — not video — often drives discovery.

Jump on trending audios (yes, even if it’s Taylor Swift), and frame your content to ride the wave. Trends move fast, so timing is everything. Use that momentum to get your content in front of new eyes — and boost your consistency in the process.

TikTok may have started as a teen dance app, but it's become a serious marketing tool. Don’t underestimate it.

Tell Us Your Thoughts

That's what I've found that worked for me to hit some marketing goals and some KPI's. Let me know if I missed anything or if you've found other ways to gain momentum on TikTok in the cannabis space. If you're looking for content & content strategy for your brand or account feel free to message me anywhere, I answer emails and direct messages.