Meta ad rejected · Cannabis and Cannabis Derived Products
Why was my Meta CBD or hemp ad rejected?
Meta allows CBD ads only in the United States, from advertisers certified by LegitScript and authorised by Meta, targeted to people 18 or older, with no health claims, and THC products and cannabis products with psychoactive components are not allowed. Work out which category your product falls in, remove treatment claims, and get authorization before running CBD ads.
What usually triggers it
- Running CBD ads without LegitScript certification and written authorization from Meta. Meta counts a product as CBD if it contains CBD or promotes itself as a CBD product.“Shop our new CBD balm, free shipping.” (from an advertiser with no authorization)
- Targeting CBD ads outside the United States, or to anyone under 18. Hemp ads are limited to Canada, Mexico and the United States.“A CBD skincare ad targeted to the UK and EU.”
- Claims that the product can treat, cure, prevent, mitigate or diagnose a disease or medical condition, in humans or animals.“Our CBD products treat anxiety” or “Hemp oil improves concentration” (both Meta’s own examples)
- Showing THC products or the parts of the plant that contain THC. Meta says images of cannabis buds or cannabis oil break the policy.“A product shot styled with cannabis buds around the bottle.”
- Promoting drug-related paraphernalia such as bongs, rolling papers and vaporisers.“Free rolling papers with every order.”
- A website that also sells prohibited products. For CBD certification, Meta says an advertiser cannot sell prohibited products such as ingestible CBD or cannabis products on their domain.“The ad shows a CBD cream, but the shop also sells THC gummies.”
How to fix the ad
- Put the product in Meta's categories. Hemp means no CBD and no more than 0.3% THC, such as hemp seed or fibre. CBD means it contains CBD or promotes itself as CBD. THC means more than 0.3% THC or related psychoactive components.
- For hemp products, target only Canada, Mexico and the United States and follow local laws. Meta does not require LegitScript or Meta authorization for hemp.
- For CBD, get LegitScript certification for your products and website, then request authorization in Meta Business Suite: Settings, then the authorizations and verifications tab, then Request authorization next to CBD advertisements.
- Once authorised, target only the United States and people 18 or older, and only advertise CBD products with no more than 0.3% THC.
- Remove every treatment, cure, prevention or diagnosis claim, including for pets. Describe the product, its ingredients and how to use it.
- Show the finished product and its packaging. Leave out buds, cannabis oil, smoking gear and anything else that reads as THC.
- Check the landing page and the rest of your site. Meta's review can include the destination, and a certified CBD domain must not sell prohibited products.
Risky wording, and safer wording
Illustrative examples to show the difference. Always check the full ad, image and landing page too.
| Risky | Safer |
|---|---|
| Our CBD gummies melt away anxiety | Our CBD body balm, made with shea butter. (Authorised advertisers, US, 18+.) |
| Reduce inflammation with our hemp cream | Hemp seed hand cream, unscented and fast-absorbing. |
| Can CBD help your depression? | Our CBD lotion: ingredients, lab reports and how to use it. (Authorised advertisers, US, 18+.) |
| CBD drops for dogs with arthritis | Hemp seed dog treats, made with three ingredients. |
| Product photo surrounded by cannabis buds | Product photo of the sealed jar on a plain background |
If your ad is already rejected
- Read the reason in Meta Business Support Home and check which applies: missing authorization, wrong country or age, a health claim, or THC imagery.
- If you are selling CBD without LegitScript certification and Meta authorization, a review will not fix it. Apply for certification and authorization first.
- If the problem is copy or imagery, edit the ad in Meta Ads Manager so it is reviewed again. Avoid deleting it if you might want a review, because a deleted ad may lose that option.
- If you believe the ad followed the policy, request another review in Business Support Home. Meta aims to decide within 48 hours, and if it is rejected again you cannot request another review for that ad.
- Do not relabel a CBD product as “hemp” or use coded wording to get it through. Meta counts anything that promotes itself as CBD as CBD, it prohibits evading enforcement, and repeated violations can restrict the account.
Check your next ad before you upload it
Paste the copy and add the image or video. The free checker scores the rejection risk, points to the exact words at fault and the Meta policy behind each one, and suggests a safer version. It estimates risk; it isn't a decision from Meta.
Likely to be rejected. Fix the flagged lines before you upload.
This supplement ad combines a personal-attribute callout, a specific weight-loss result, guaranteed results, clickbait and a URL shortener, so it is very likely to be rejected.
Are you struggling with belly fat? Our gummies helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!! See the before and after pics. Doctors hate this one trick.
GUARANTEED RESULTS
https://bit.ly/slim-offer
6 issues found · tap a highlight to jump to it
“Are you struggling with belly fat?” · primary text
The ad asserts a personal characteristic about the viewer by addressing them directly about a body condition.
Fix: Our gummies are designed to support a healthy metabolism.
“helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!!” · primary text
A specific weight-loss amount within a short timeframe is an exaggerated, unrealistic result, and supplement ads must target 18+.
Fix: Remove the specific result; use a general statement such as 'Part of a balanced routine for healthy weight management.'
“GUARANTEED RESULTS” · headline
Guaranteed results are a prohibited claim for health and weight-loss products.
Fix: Use 'Start your wellness routine today' or remove the claim entirely.
“Doctors hate this one trick.” · primary text
This is classic clickbait, and the triple exclamation marks add to the sensational tone.
Fix: Replace with 'Learn how our gummies fit into a healthy routine.'
“See the before and after pics.” · primary text
Before-and-after comparisons for weight loss are high risk and draw rejection.
Fix: Remove the before-and-after reference and focus on the product's ingredients.
“https://bit.ly/slim-offer” · landing page
URL shorteners hide the true destination and are high risk, and can lead to account-level enforcement.
Fix: Use the full, direct landing page URL on the brand's own domain.
Safer version
Are you struggling with belly fat? Our gummies helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!! See the before and after pics. Doctors hate this one trick.
GUARANTEED RESULTS
Meet our gummies, designed to support a healthy metabolism. Easy to add to your day and made to fit into a balanced routine for healthy weight management. Learn how they fit into a healthy routine.
Start your wellness routine today
Also change: Link: replace the bit.ly shortener with the full, direct URL on your own brand domain, and make sure the landing page has no before-and-after photos, guaranteed-result claims or specific weight-loss numbers. Creative: remove any before-and-after images and any overlay text about kilos lost. Show the product or lifestyle shots instead, with overlay text like "Support your healthy routine". Set ad targeting to 18+.
Questions
Can I advertise CBD on Facebook and Instagram outside the US?
No. Meta's policy says ads may only promote or offer the sale of CBD in the United States, and only from certified, authorised advertisers targeting people 18 or older.
Do I need authorization to advertise hemp products?
No, if the product contains no CBD and no more than 0.3% THC, such as hemp seed or fibre. Hemp ads are allowed in Canada, Mexico and the United States and must follow local laws.
Can I advertise CBD gummies or oils people eat?
Meta's CBD route requires LegitScript certification, and Meta says LegitScript currently certifies only non-ingestible CBD products. In practice, that leaves non-ingestible CBD products.
Can I post educational content about CBD?
Yes. Meta allows ads that educate, advocate or give public service announcements about CBD, as long as they don't offer prohibited products for sale. Ads about social issues, elections or politics need a disclaimer.
How long does CBD authorization take?
Meta says you are notified right away after submitting the Meta application. LegitScript certification comes first, and Meta advises applying early because that process can take several weeks.
Can I say CBD helps people relax?
Be careful. Meta gives “CBD removes your tension, increases relaxation and lifts your spirits” as an example of content it doesn't allow. Stick to the product, ingredients and use.
Meta's official pages
- Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (Meta Transparency Center)
- About Meta's Cannabis and Cannabis Derived Products advertising policy (Meta Business Help Center)
- How to troubleshoot a rejected ad (Meta Business Help Center)
- Introduction to the Advertising Standards (Meta Transparency Center)
Ad Account Shield is an independent tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Meta.
Related guides
- Supplement adsUnsafe ingredients, under-18 targeting and cure claims that get supplement ads rejected.
- Prescription drugs, telehealthPrescription drug and GLP-1 ads need Meta authorization, eligible countries and 18+.
- Landing page problemsBroken pages, ad-to-page mismatches, redirects, pop-ups and risky page content: why Meta rejects the ad and how to fix the page.