US /

Maine Shuts Down Facebook Page on Dangers of Pot

But was it just a response to satire?
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Dec 16, 2018 6:30 PM CST
Maine Shuts Down Pot Facebook Page
Krissy Calkins smokes a joint at a "Wake and Bake" legalized marijuana event in Toronto on Oct. 17, 2018, the day Canada became the largest country with a legal national marijuana marketplace.   (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

The state of Maine has shut down a Facebook page detailing the potential dangers of marijuana use in response to a satirical page launched by pro-pot critics, the AP reports. State Center for Disease Control spokeswoman Emily Spencer tells Maine Public that Maine (where recreational pot use is legal) took the page down out of concerns about consumer confusion, misinformation, and message dilution. She says Maine asked Facebook to review the satire page for compliance with standards.

Maine launched the online awareness campaign earlier this fall, with a budget over $300,000. A related website remains active. Critics called Maine's page "prohibition propaganda" at a time when marijuana is legal for medical and recreational uses in Maine. Marijuana advocate Paul McCarrier, who says he wasn't involved in the satire site, says Maine's response demonstrates the ineffectiveness of the original campaign. (Legal pot could be the next move for the maker of Marlboro cigarettes.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X