Robert Celt
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Google is blocking medical marijuana advertisements in New York, a practice that hurts patients with serious illnesses who could benefit from the drug, says one of the companies that distributes it.
Vireo Health of New York, which is a subsidiary of Minnesota medical marijuana company Vireo Health LLC, sent a letter asking Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) to stop rejecting its advertisements.
"We would argue that it would be inadvertently 'evil' if Google Incorporated continued to make it needlessly difficult for seriously ill patients to connect with us online to learn about how to access to medicines that alleviate their suffering," Vireo Health of New York CEO Ari Hoffnung wrote in a letter sent to Google on March 15.
Google has rejected seven advertisements from Vireo, according to the letter. Google cited a policy that says it won't allow ads for "recreational" drugs. Vireo argues that because New York law bars using medical marijuana for recreational purposes, the company's ads do not violate Google's policy.
Hoffnung said the company is advertising on Google but cannot use the words "medical marijuana" or "medical cannabis" in the ads.
"These are key terms that patients or consumers associate with our business," Hoffnung said, comparing it to Nike not being able to use the word "sneakers" or Dunkin' Donuts not being allowed to use "donuts" in its advertising.
A spokesperson for Google did not immediately return a request for comment.
Vireo is one of five companies licensed to sell medical marijuana in New York. The company grows and manufactures marijuana in Fulton County. It also plans a distribution location in Albany County that has not yet opened, more than two months after the rollout of the program began in January.
New York approved a medical marijuana program for patients with certain chronic illnesses in 2014 and the Department of Health approved five organizations to produce and sell the drug in July.
Without being able to advertise on Google, which controls a large portion of web traffic on search engines, Vireo won't be able to inform patients and health care providers of their treatment options, the letter says.
"We need to be able to communicate with our patients, our patients who suffer from life threatening and debilitating illnesses," Hoffnung said. "Patients increasingly look for information online."
Google, Facebook and Twitter all block marijuana advertising, even in states like Colorado where it is legal for recreational use.
The implementation of the medical marijuana program in New York has been slow, with advocates and lawmakers who pushed for it criticizing a lack of access for patients. Only 455 doctors have registered to be able to recommend patients be able to get the drug and the Department of Health has refused to release a list of those physicians, citing privacy concerns. Other health care professionals do have access to the list, according to the department.
Some patients have found their current doctors refuse to refer them to another provider who might participate in the medical marijuana program, blocking their access to the drug.
While the five licensed organizations are approved to each have four dispensary locations where patients can purchase the drug, only one has opened all four of its locations, according to the Department of Health's website. The other four medical marijuana companies have opened three dispensaries each.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Why This Company Says It's 'Evil' For Google To Keep Blocking Medical Marijuana Ads
Author: Marie J. French
Contact: Albany Business Review
Photo Credit: Tania Savayan
Website: Albany Business Review
Vireo Health of New York, which is a subsidiary of Minnesota medical marijuana company Vireo Health LLC, sent a letter asking Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) to stop rejecting its advertisements.
"We would argue that it would be inadvertently 'evil' if Google Incorporated continued to make it needlessly difficult for seriously ill patients to connect with us online to learn about how to access to medicines that alleviate their suffering," Vireo Health of New York CEO Ari Hoffnung wrote in a letter sent to Google on March 15.
Google has rejected seven advertisements from Vireo, according to the letter. Google cited a policy that says it won't allow ads for "recreational" drugs. Vireo argues that because New York law bars using medical marijuana for recreational purposes, the company's ads do not violate Google's policy.
Hoffnung said the company is advertising on Google but cannot use the words "medical marijuana" or "medical cannabis" in the ads.
"These are key terms that patients or consumers associate with our business," Hoffnung said, comparing it to Nike not being able to use the word "sneakers" or Dunkin' Donuts not being allowed to use "donuts" in its advertising.
A spokesperson for Google did not immediately return a request for comment.
Vireo is one of five companies licensed to sell medical marijuana in New York. The company grows and manufactures marijuana in Fulton County. It also plans a distribution location in Albany County that has not yet opened, more than two months after the rollout of the program began in January.
New York approved a medical marijuana program for patients with certain chronic illnesses in 2014 and the Department of Health approved five organizations to produce and sell the drug in July.
Without being able to advertise on Google, which controls a large portion of web traffic on search engines, Vireo won't be able to inform patients and health care providers of their treatment options, the letter says.
"We need to be able to communicate with our patients, our patients who suffer from life threatening and debilitating illnesses," Hoffnung said. "Patients increasingly look for information online."
Google, Facebook and Twitter all block marijuana advertising, even in states like Colorado where it is legal for recreational use.
The implementation of the medical marijuana program in New York has been slow, with advocates and lawmakers who pushed for it criticizing a lack of access for patients. Only 455 doctors have registered to be able to recommend patients be able to get the drug and the Department of Health has refused to release a list of those physicians, citing privacy concerns. Other health care professionals do have access to the list, according to the department.
Some patients have found their current doctors refuse to refer them to another provider who might participate in the medical marijuana program, blocking their access to the drug.
While the five licensed organizations are approved to each have four dispensary locations where patients can purchase the drug, only one has opened all four of its locations, according to the Department of Health's website. The other four medical marijuana companies have opened three dispensaries each.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Why This Company Says It's 'Evil' For Google To Keep Blocking Medical Marijuana Ads
Author: Marie J. French
Contact: Albany Business Review
Photo Credit: Tania Savayan
Website: Albany Business Review
