Cannabis culture is more visible than ever online—yet also more nuanced. As platforms tighten rules around promotion, creators are finding ever more creative, lifestyle-centered ways to build trust, spark conversation, and evolve the narrative around cannabis beyond just consumption. Below is a snapshot of the key social media trends to watch this season, and a few influencers rapidly rising in prominence for their authentic, culture-forward approach.
The Social Media Landscape: Trends Taking Hold
- Lifestyle-first storytelling over direct product placement
With many platforms still enforcing strict policies around cannabis promotion, creators lean into narrative content—vlog-style day-in-the-life, wellness routines, cooking with cannabis, travel, and “behind-the-scenes” cultivation stories. As MG Magazine reports, a strong social media strategy is about delivering engaging, high-quality content that resonates with a target audience. - Hyper-niche microcommunities and platform diversification
The broad lifestyle umbrella is splintering. Some creators are gravitating toward micro-platforms or cannabis-friendly spaces (private forums, cannabis-centric social platforms) in addition to mainstream channels. NisonCo points out that optimizing profiles across multiple touchpoints is essential in 2025. - Educational content as a pillar
Across the board, creators who inform responsibly are gaining credibility. Marketing strategists forecast that increased emphasis on educational content is among the biggest shifts expected this year. - Sustainability, craft, and purpose-driven branding
Consumers care more than ever how their flower is grown, who grew it, and under what ethics. Industry experts note that sustainability and craft cannabis are major branding trends in 2025. - Compliant creativity — dancing close to the line
Given content moderation risks, creators are finding clever ways to signal without showing. Satire, metaphor, and indirect visuals get more play, while direct “look-what-I-m-smoking” content is constrained. Recent academic work on substance hashtags on TikTok shows that content related to recovery, satire, and bridge narratives dominate, while direct active use appears more rarely. - Analytics-backed iteration & slower growth models
Rather than viral stunts, the emphasis is shifting to consistent growth, data-driven iteration, and building owned channels (email lists, newsletters). Brands and creators are warned to steady their strategies, not chase fads.
Influencers (or Voices) to Watch Summer 2025
Here are a few names gaining momentum (or worth watching) — selected for their unique angles, credibility, and ability to bridge cannabis content with lifestyle:
- The “New Faces of Weed” from Forbes
A June 2025 Forbes roundup highlights creators doing what big brands can’t—by blending humor, advocacy, education, and culture. These emerging voices are helping destigmatize cannabis through storytelling, not hard sells. - Michele Ross (Dr. Michele Ross)
Neuroscientist, author, and longtime cannabis advocate whose work combines science, wellness, and reform policy. She continues to bring gravitas and intellectual depth to cannabis discourse. - WeedTubers pushing creative boundaries
In the YouTube ecosystem, “Weedtubers” remain a pillar of cannabis content. One standout: Dope as Yola, lately cited as the first weedtuber to hit 2 million subscribers on YouTube. - Grassroots, mission-driven micro-creators
Some of the most exciting voices are under-the-radar: cultivators, ceramic artists who also grow, chefs using cannabis in local cuisine, or social equity advocates. These voices may not have millions of followers yet—but their authenticity often beats polished feeds. - “That High Couple”
Named in marketing commentary for focusing on “relatability and lifestyle,” this duo exemplifies how cannabis creators are moving toward everyday content rather than pure stoner tropes. - Creators bridging hemp-derived and regional reach
As discussed in trend forecasts, hemp-derived THC products give some creators room to expand content without strict dispensary regulation constraints. Influencers working in that space may grow their reach faster in 2025.
What This Means for Journalists, Marketers & Culture Watchers
For cannabis lifestyle journalists and content strategists, summer 2025 is less about flashy launches or viral gambits—and more about deepening connection, trust, and authenticity.
- Pay more attention to creators whose lives intersect with cannabis—not just those who make “smoke content.”
- Don’t ignore micro influencers; their niche loyalty often drives higher engagement than volume.
- Use trend analysis to flag rising voices early—follow analytics, not just follower counts.
- Respect — and speak — to communities often excluded from mainstream cannabis media: Black, Latino, Indigenous, women, LGBTQ+, and rural growers.
In a media environment where cannabis is still partially constrained, those influencers and creators who can weave cannabis into meaningful lifestyle narratives—food, art, wellness, travel, and equity—will be the ones shaping how culture sees the plant in 2025 and beyond.