'Marijuana' ads fail Google policy test

Marijuana locator sites like WheresWeed.com come at a time when Google is failing to accomodate both medical marijuana dispensaries and patients alike. New York's first dispensaries are up and running, but doctor and patient participation are both low. Marijuana business owners want to use every resource possible to connect patients with their medication, but while trying to run ads for new products, Google has continuously rejected ads using the terms "medical cannabis" and "medical marijuana". Advocates claim the business complies with New York state law and products are sold striclty for medicinal purposes, yet Google states their terms of use is strict on medically related ads including prescription drugs, medical devices, sexual enhancement meds and other items in addition to marijuana.

"It is difficult to understand or justify a policy that will impede a patient's ability to access information about products that have been approved by the New York State legislature and have been identified as therapeutically beneficial," Hoffnung added in his letter.

"These patients and their caregivers need access to this information, and if Google continues to deny this access, it is clearly contradicting one of its core values."