Banned words in cannabis texts, and what to say instead
No carrier publishes a banned word list, but cannabis texts are filtered on content: product names, effects, slang, prices, discounts and health claims. T-Mobile’s code lists cannabis as disallowed content. Write texts as store updates that name your store first, keep products and deals on your age-gated page, and check drafts with a word checker.
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Is there an official list of banned words?
No. Filters are automated and carriers do not publish them. What is published is the rule behind them: T-Mobile’s code requires content to be legal in all 50 states and lists cannabis as disallowed, and its prohibitions are about content rather than the sender. So any word that makes a text about cannabis puts it at risk.
Which words put a cannabis text at risk?
| Category | Examples | Say instead |
|---|---|---|
| Product names | cannabis, marijuana, flower, edibles, pre-rolls, vape, concentrates | "New arrivals", "this week’s menu", or your store name |
| Slang and effects | weed, kush, bud, high, stoned | Leave them out entirely |
| Culture dates | 420, 710 | "Our biggest weekend of the year", or the date |
| Prices and deals | percentages, dollar amounts, buy one get one, discount, sale, free | "See this week’s offer at" plus your branded link |
| Health claims | relief, anxiety, pain, sleep, medicinal | Never make health claims in a text |
What does safer phrasing look like?
Risky: "Big 420 sale! 20% off all edibles and pre-rolls this weekend only. Shop now: bit.ly/kendalls". Safer: the same visit, described as a store update.
Kendall's
Kendall's: our biggest weekend of the year starts Saturday. Plan your visit and see what is coming at stky.ca/kendalls-event. Reply STOP to opt out.
Why do deals belong on the age-gated page?
A price or discount makes a text read as a promotion, and CTIA notes that adding an offer can change what consent a text needs. On your own page, the deal sits behind an age gate, where T-Mobile expects a date of birth check for age-restricted content, and you can say what you like within your state’s rules.
Check a draft with the free banned word checker.
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Book a demoFrequently asked questions
Is there a list of words carriers ban?
No carrier publishes one. Filters judge content, and carrier codes treat cannabis as disallowed content.
Can I say 420 in a text?
We advise against it. Our checker flags it as a cannabis reference, and T-Mobile’s code lists cannabis as disallowed content. Say "our biggest weekend of the year" and put the date on your page.
Can I misspell words to get past filters?
No. Carriers judge content, and texts built to evade filters put your number and registration at risk.
Where should prices go?
On your age-gated page, linked from the text with a branded short link.
Sources
- T-Mobile, Code of Conduct for messaging, version 2.2 (opens in a new tab), accessed October 18, 2026
- T-Mobile, Consumer versus non-consumer text messaging (opens in a new tab), accessed October 18, 2026
- CTIA, Messaging Principles and Best Practices (May 2023) (opens in a new tab), accessed October 18, 2026