Meta ad rejected · Tobacco and Related Products
Why was my Meta tobacco or vape ad rejected?
Meta does not allow ads that promote the sale or use of tobacco, nicotine products, vapes of any kind, including nicotine-free and wellness vapes, or smoking accessories, and the policy has no permission route. Only quit-smoking products approved by the WHO or FDA, targeted 18 and over, and anti-smoking content can run.
What usually triggers it
- Selling or promoting cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing or smokeless tobacco, or heated tobacco products.“Premium hand-rolled cigars, delivered next day.”
- E-cigarettes, vape pens, vape oils and cartridges, or devices that heat tobacco or nicotine.“New disposable vapes in 20 flavours, now in stock.”
- Vapes with no tobacco or nicotine, such as vitamin or wellness vapes. Meta bans ads for products that simulate smoking.“Zero-nicotine vitamin vape for calm and focus.”
- Nicotine pouches.“Try our mint nicotine pouches, 3 tins for £10.”
- Accessories such as tobacco pipes, rolling papers, hookahs and filters, and venues such as hookah lounges and cigar bars.“Shisha lounge open late, new flavours every week.”
- Promoting a tobacco brand, or creative where tobacco use is the main focus.“A lifestyle video centred on a person smoking a branded cigarette.”
- Quit-smoking ads that use vapes, use products not approved by the WHO or FDA, or target people under 18.“Quit smoking for good by switching to our vape.”
How to fix the ad
- Check what you are selling. If it is tobacco, a nicotine product, any kind of vape, a smoking accessory or a venue built around smoking, there is no compliant way to advertise it on Meta, and rewording the ad will not change that.
- If you sell a quit-smoking product, check that it is approved by the World Health Organization or the US Food and Drug Administration, and set the audience to 18 and over.
- Do not present a vape as a quit-smoking aid. Meta says promoting vapes is not allowed in any context.
- For anti-smoking campaigns, counselling services and rehab programmes, show tobacco only in a clearly anti-smoking context, not as something to enjoy.
- For a blog or community about tobacco-related interests, make sure the ad and the landing page do not lead to buying tobacco products. Meta’s review can include the landing page.
- Run the copy and images through our free checker at /check before upload. It estimates policy risk; it is not Meta’s decision.
Risky wording, and safer wording
Illustrative examples to show the difference. Always check the full ad, image and landing page too.
| Risky | Safer |
|---|---|
| Switch to our vape and quit smoking for good. | One-to-one stop-smoking counselling, by phone or online. |
| Nicotine gum ad set to ages 16 and over. | The same WHO- or FDA-approved nicotine gum ad set to ages 18 and over. |
| Anti-smoking ad showing a smiling person lighting up, with “Treat yourself”. | Anti-smoking ad with a clear quit message and a link to free support. |
| Join our cigar club for members-only deals. | A discussion group about the history of pipe making, with nothing for sale. |
If your ad is already rejected
- Read the reason in Meta Business Support Home (formerly Account Quality) or in the rejection notice.
- If the ad promotes tobacco, nicotine, vapes or smoking accessories, accept the rejection. Stop running these products on Meta, because severe or repeated violations can restrict the ad account.
- If the ad was for an approved quit-smoking product or an anti-smoking campaign and you believe it was rejected by mistake, 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 rename the product, blur it out of the image or send people to a different page to get it past review. Editing or deleting a rejected ad does not remove the violation.
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 nicotine-free or wellness vapes on Facebook?
No. Meta bans ads for products that simulate smoking, including vapes that contain no tobacco or nicotine, such as vitamin-based and wellness vapes.
Are nicotine pouches allowed in Meta ads?
No. Meta lists nicotine pouches among the tobacco and related products that ads cannot promote.
Can I get Meta’s permission to advertise vapes?
No. Meta’s Tobacco and Related Products policy has no permission process for selling tobacco, nicotine products or vapes.
Can I advertise a quit-smoking product?
Yes, if it is approved by the World Health Organization or the US Food and Drug Administration, the ads target people 18 and over, and they follow local laws and industry codes. Vapes are not allowed even as quit aids.
Can a hookah lounge or cigar bar run ads?
Not for the venue. Meta bans ads for hookah lounges and cigar bars, and for any establishment or event where tobacco products are offered or encouraged.
Can I advertise an anti-smoking campaign?
Yes. Meta allows anti-smoking campaigns, e-books, counselling and rehab programmes, and they may show tobacco as long as the context promotes quitting.
Meta's official pages
- Tobacco and Related Products (Meta Transparency Center)
- Introduction to the Advertising Standards (Meta Transparency Center)
- How to troubleshoot a rejected ad (Meta Business Help Center)
Ad Account Shield is an independent tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Meta.
Related guides
- Drugs and paraphernaliaRecreational drugs, THC, psychedelics and paraphernalia can’t be advertised; awareness and news can.
- Alcohol adsAlcohol ads need the right minimum age and country for every audience they reach.
- 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.