As the online cannabis community is being shadow banned and kicked off of social media platforms, a new cannabis social media app has arrived to take in the millions of wayward stoners from around the world and give them their own anonymous social media playpen… That app is PotSmoking.com.
With over 25,000 downloads and almost 40,000 posts in just 12 short months, PotSmoking.com has quickly become the only true cannabis social media app, unleashing a whole new kind of platform for stoners from around the world to come together and get to know each other through pictures, videos, comments and an old school site wide message board. “Users” are also treated to thousands of cannabis related links in the app’s “Information” section and can even win hundreds of dollars in prizes in the app’s “Contest” section.
Steve Einzig, CEO and founder of Potsmoking.com says “The difference between our app of other platforms is that everyone sees everyone else’s posts on our 420 Worldwide page. This means that when someone first joins the app, they are just as much a part of the community as someone who joined 10 months ago. This promotes a sense of inclusion and camaraderie that lends itself to the positive feeling that people get from our platform. It’s amazing when you see people from literally every continent around the world posting and commenting like we are all right next door. We have ‘users’ from over 50 countries so far, and those are just the ones that have mentioned where they are from.”
Some “users” like Paul Surrette (@bigpauly875) from Massachusetts, have gone so far as to dedicate their spare time to promote the app and help build out the community. “I friggin’ love this app! I’m a cancer survivor who turned to cannabis as medicine, and here I am 5 years later. Since I got involved with PotSmoking.com last year and started hosting their live broadcasts on Instagram, I’ve been having the best time of my life. I have met so many incredible people who have really become my close friends. I try to turn as many people on to the app as possible, and I’m not the only one. There’s a guy in Dallas giving away free haircuts to anyone that downloads the app!”
The app was conceived when Einzig and his close college friend Steven Stern (@steviepotseed) got together in New York City just last year. Stern was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in November of 2014, but by using a concentrated regiment of THC and CBD in concert with other cancer prescriptions, Stern is now almost four years into stage 4, one of the few people on his medication regimen to survive this long, and according to the latest reports, his condition is stable.
“When we first started the app, we wanted to use it as a platform for Steven (Stern) to help inspire and educate people with cancer and other ailments about the medicinal benefits of cannabis.” says Einzig. “My hope is that Steven will have a vehicle through the app to share his story with the world so thousands of other people can be inspired by him and reap the medicinal benefits of cannabis.”
Stern’s story has already driven people battling cancer to the app and they love all the support and information they have found. “We have one ‘user’ named Alicia (@aliciakeepsmiling) who is suffering from chronic pancreatitis.” says Jen Jendrzejczyk, originally a PotSmoking.com intern now working for the app out of Los Angeles. “I talk to Alicia multiple times a day. She’s always on the app keeping up with what’s going on. She says it’s become a huge part of her emotional support while battling her illness.”
Anonymity is a very import part of the PotSmoking.com community. According to Stern, “One really cool thing about PotSmoking.com is that it doesn’t actually exist as a web based platform, so no one will ever find our “users” posts in an online search. We offer cannabis enthusiasts a truly safe and anonymous platform by which to express their love for weed and the lifestyle. On the main social media sites, you have to worry about your family or your employers seeing your posts. Not here.”
As far as the long term goals of the app, according to Einzig “We just want to build this to be a place where millions of cannabis lovers from around the world can come together without having to worry about what they are posting or how they are perceived. Obviously the environment is changing with all of the legalization and medical progress of the last few years. As our numbers grow, hopefully our “users” can be a big part of helping to bring about that change through advocacy and education. I would love for the app to be known for positivity, education, inspiration and the unification of the cannabis community around the world. I think we can make great things happen.”