Twitter Stops Suggesting Help for People Searching “Marijuana” – Is Elon Behind It?
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In 2020, Twitter began suggesting that users searching for specific drug-related words, such as “cannabis,” might consider getting help for drug use. That feature, created in accordance with the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), is now on hold, Marijuana Moment reported.
The help notice, which did not appear when searching for alcohol, had been heavily criticized by marijuana advocates. They argued that Twitter implied that any interest in marijuana indicates a potential substance abuse problem. What about medical marijuana? Or political reforms? Or looking for a job in industry?
Photo by LeoPatrizi/Getty Images
“Help is available. If you or someone you know is struggling with drug use, you are not alone,” reads the standard alert, which directs users to the SAMHSA helpline and website.
Why the sudden change?
It’s still unclear if the feature’s sudden suspension was the result of an expired agreement between Twitter and SAMHSA, or if it was removed due to policy changes originating from the platform’s new owner, Elon Musk.
Both seem possible as SAMHSA operates within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which recently tweeted about cannabis policy changes.
At the direction of @POTUS, we continue to investigate how marijuana is scheduled. We look at what the evidence tells us – and that will guide our actions. https://t.co/KrGPLfXjff
— Secretary Xavier Becerra (@SecBecerra) December 5, 2022
On the other hand, Tesla’s CEO has been known to publicly discuss and even use cannabis. Musk sparked controversy when he smoked a joint on a Joe Rogan in 2018 podcast.
In August, Musk tweeted a humorous screenshot of what it’s like to get high from weed.
pic.twitter.com/UfZdHZvtAA
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2022
Just 33 minutes after it was posted, the tweet had garnered 29,000 likes from people around the world who seemed to be able to relate to it. Comments ranged from “LMFAO” to “this is the richest man in the world.”
The tweet came shortly after the recent Nelk Boy “Full Send” podcast, in which Musk revealed that his incident of smoking weed on the Joe Rogan show had repercussions.
RELATED: Will Elon Musk Buying into Twitter Make the Platform More Cannabis-Friendly?
He said he was drug tested for “everything” afterwards.
Musk said there were not only consequences for him, but also that his SpaceX employees were randomly tested for drugs.
Musk has clarified that he’s not a regular marijuana user, believing it’s not good for productivity — at least not for him.
Photo by Christian Marquardt – Pool/Getty Images
Known for his bold stance on various issues, he’s often asked pertinent questions about marijuana – if weed is a legal business in the US, why are so many people still being jailed for it? About two years ago, at the start of the pandemic, Musk tweeted, “Selling weed has literally gone from a serious crime to a vital business (open during the pandemic) in much of America, and yet many are still in prison.” Doesn’t make sense, it’s not right.”
RELATED: Cannabis experts say outspoken support from Elon Musk is helpful, but not enough
He recently voiced the same concern about the Brittney Griner case when he shared a meme of a man with his hands on his hips, saying: “People in the US are in jail for weed while the government trades a Russian war criminal for that of a woman basketball player in jail for weed.”
Musk wrote, “Maybe release some people in jail for weed here too?”
Neither Twitter nor SAMHSA immediately responded to the outlet’s request for comment.
This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.
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