IF YOUR WEED IS FIRE, WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE THE POLICE?

A Love Letter to the Facebook Narcs of the Cannabis Community

By OG Strain

There is something in the cannabis community that drives me absolutely insane.

And no, it isn’t overpriced eighths.

It isn’t people calling every strain “gas” when it smells like a wet hamster and a bag of lawn clippings.

It isn’t even the guy who shows up to every event wearing a giant gold cannabis leaf chain the size of a hubcap.

No.

The thing I’m sick of is the sneaky, grimy, backdoor nonsense that comes from people who can’t compete honestly.

You know exactly who I’m talking about.

The Facebook reporters.

The post flaggers.

The undercover hall monitors of the cannabis world.

The people who see somebody succeeding and immediately start clicking buttons like they’re trying to save the nation from a national emergency.

Imagine being in the cannabis community and spending your free time reporting cannabis posts.

Think about that for a second.

You’re standing in a room full of growers, hash makers, vendors, creators, event organizers, photographers, reviewers, breeders, and entrepreneurs…

…and somehow you’ve decided your contribution is becoming Deputy Facebook.

Congratulations.

What a legacy.

Here’s the reality nobody wants to say out loud:

If your product is truly amazing, you don’t need dirty tricks.

If your flower is loud, it’ll speak for itself.

If your rosin melts faces, people will find it.

If your prices are fair, your customers will come back.

If your business is solid, nobody can stop you.

But when somebody’s first strategy is trying to remove competitors instead of improving themselves, that’s usually a giant red flag.

It’s the business equivalent of losing a race and deciding to slash everybody else’s tires.

You still didn’t win.

You just looked ridiculous.

The funniest part?

These people actually think they’re accomplishing something.

They’re not.

Every successful person I’ve ever met in this community has one thing in common:

They’re too busy building.

They’re too busy creating.

Too busy growing.

Too busy networking.

Too busy working.

The people making real moves don’t have time to sit around filing imaginary reports like they’re working the night shift at the Internet Police Department.

Meanwhile, some miserable clown is sitting at home refreshing Facebook like:

“That post got 47 likes. Better report it.”

“My competitor got a new customer. Better report it.”

“Someone is having success. This cannot stand.”

Brother, go touch grass.

Actually, don’t.

You’ll probably report the grass.

And here’s the thing that really blows my mind.

I support everybody who’s doing things the right way.

I don’t care if you’re from my circle.

I don’t care if you’re from another circle.

I don’t care if you’ve got a giant personality.

I don’t care if you’re cocky.

I don’t care if you’ve got fans.

I don’t care if you’ve got haters.

If you’ve got a quality product and you’re treating people fairly, I’ll support it.

Period.

Because that’s what healthy communities do.

Healthy communities build each other up.

Weak communities spend all day trying to pull each other down.

The difference is enormous.

One creates growth.

The other creates drama.

And here’s a lesson I’ve learned after years of watching people in every industry imaginable:

People who are obsessed with tearing others down almost always end up trapped by the negativity they create.

While they’re busy watching everyone else, everyone else is busy moving forward.

While they’re plotting, others are producing.

While they’re reporting posts, others are building brands.

That’s why these tactics never work long-term.

Success isn’t something you can report away.

You can’t click a button and erase talent.

You can’t file a complaint and eliminate hard work.

You can’t flag somebody’s determination.

And you definitely can’t stop an entire community from recognizing quality when they see it.

The cannabis community has enough challenges already.

We don’t need people acting like undercover referees in a game nobody asked them to officiate.

We need better products.

Better events.

Better networking.

Better businesses.

Better opportunities.

We need people competing through excellence instead of pettiness.

So to all the Facebook narcs out there, I have one simple suggestion:

Put the energy you’re spending on reporting people into improving your own situation.

Develop a better product.

Learn a new skill.

Build a stronger brand.

Create something people actually want.

Because at the end of the day, the market decides who wins.

Not the report button.

And if your best weapon against the competition is a Facebook violation form…

You already lost.

OG Strain