Send cannabis texts that read like store updates
Paste a draft to flag the words that make a cannabis text read like an ad: product names, slang, prices, discounts and health claims. Each flag comes with a safer phrasing. The checker also confirms your store name comes first, an opt-out line is there and links stay off public shorteners.
Last updated:
- Fix: Starts with your store name Open with "Kendall's:" so the reader and the carrier know who is texting.
- Fix: Has an opt-out line End with "Reply STOP to opt out" or similar.
- Fix: No public link shortener bit.ly/kendalls is a public shortener. Use a link on your own branded domain.
5 risky words or phrases found
- edibles"New arrivals" or "this week's menu".
- pre-rolls"New arrivals" or "this week's menu".
- 420"Our biggest weekend of the year" or the date.
- 20% off"See this week's offer at" plus your branded link.
- sale"See what is new at" plus your branded link.
This check is advisory. Carrier filters are not public, so passing it does not guarantee delivery.
Sticky SMS, by Sticky Cards, the loyalty and marketing platform for cannabis dispensaries, built this checker as one of its texting tools for dispensaries. It runs in your browser, and nothing you type is stored.
Each flag comes with a safer way to say it
- Product words and slang. “Edibles” or “pre-rolls” becomes “new arrivals” or “this week’s menu”.
- Prices and discounts. A percentage off becomes “See this week’s offer at” plus your branded link, so the offer sits on your age-gated page.
- Health claims. Any line that suggests a medical benefit comes out of the text.
- The basics. Your store name as the first words, a “Reply STOP to opt out” line, and links on a domain you own.
For the reasons behind each flag, read the guide to words to avoid in cannabis texts.
T-Mobile’s code lists cannabis as disallowed content
T-Mobile’s code of conduct requires message content to be legal in all 50 states, and it lists cannabis as disallowed content. CTIA’s principles let providers block or filter traffic they consider unwanted.
A text that reads like a cannabis ad is at risk in every state. The same news written as a store update from a named business is less likely to read as cannabis promotion. Here is a Kendall's draft after the checker’s fixes.
Kendall's
Kendall's: new arrivals are on the shelf for Friday, and we are open late. See what is in at stky.ca/kendalls-new. Reply STOP to opt out.
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Book a demoFrequently asked questions
What should I do once a draft clears the checker?
Send it to a small segment first, then to the full list. If one text is filtered while others arrive, look at what is different in it, such as a product word, a price or a new link.
Where does the word list come from?
It is our guidance, drawn from T-Mobile’s code of conduct and CTIA’s messaging principles. Both are linked in the sources below.
Why should a discount stay out of the text?
A price or discount makes the text read like a cannabis ad, and T-Mobile’s code lists cannabis as disallowed content. Put the offer on your age-gated page and link to it.
Why does the link domain matter?
T-Mobile says public URL shorteners are highly discouraged in bulk messaging and may be blocked, and CTIA’s principles say a shortener should be dedicated to the sender. Use a short link on a domain you own.
How does Sticky SMS help my texts get delivered?
We file your 10DLC registration with The Campaign Registry, with no charge for the number or the registration, and work with carriers to get your store approved under its own brand and legal name.
Sources
- T-Mobile, Code of Conduct for messaging, version 2.2 (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