Dear Apple,
We are Cycling Frog - an exciting new player in the CBD and THC space. We’re writing on behalf of all American stoners and CBD connoisseurs to kindly request that you recognize the role cannabis and hemp products play in today’s society by creating a range of emojis dedicated to marijuana and cannabinoids.
Apparently, around 49% of Americans used marijuana at least once in 2021, and we expect the number will be significantly higher this year. No offense, but we’re going to bet that a large proportion of the people who use cannabis or its derived products don’t want to have to use a Maple tree leaf 🍁 or herb 🌿 emoji to embellish messages to our friends and family. Yes, everyone knows what they’re referring to most of the time, but we think this is a matter of principle!
There’s no need to be prissy about this! Anybody can look and see that Apple’s emojis depict some common drugs already. At the time of writing this, emojis represent not one, not two, but EIGHT different alcoholic drinks. There’s even an emoji for a lit cigarette - you know, the ones that are widely acknowledged to cause cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases and diabetes - the list goes on… We don’t think the absence of weed themed emojis comes down to a concern for public health.
We don’t want to get bogged down in the legalities as we understand that the use, sale, and possession of cannabis in the United States is illegal under federal law, but laws in many states now permit it under various circumstances, like for medicinal and recreational use. In fact, as of May 2022, nineteen states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington), the District of Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam have legalized the recreational use of cannabis, with all but D.C. having legalized its commercial sale.
It’s also worth noting that clinical studies continue to prove the health benefits of CBD in particular, and so more and more people are relying on cannabis and cannabinoids to alleviate the stresses of everyday life. Choosing not to recognize this would be naive.
Regardless of personal opinion or belief, it looks like the gates are finally opening for safe and legal cannabis and cannabinoid consumption across the states, which we think is amazing! As a result, the CBD market size alone is expected to reach a staggering $47.22 BILLION by 2028, so we’re simply asking you to get ahead of the curve and give the people what they’ll inevitably want and need if not now, then at least sometime in the near future.
We figured that this is the perfect opportunity to get this in writing and officially request that you add some cannabis and CBD themed emojis to your repertoire, and we’ve even created a couple of designs that you could take inspiration from. You’re welcome!
We think these emojis have the potential to be used globally, but opening them up to U.S. iPhone users - who apparently make up 47% of the country! - is probably a great place to start.
If you’re on the Apple emoji team and happen to be reading this, but you still aren’t convinced, we’d be happy to hook you up with some of the highest quality CBD and THC gummies or THC seltzers that money can buy. We want to show you that cannabis consumption can be normalized, affordable and accessible.
Please don't be mistaken - Cycling Frog is not your typical cannabis brand. We are committed to seeing cannabis evolve into a thriving, legitimate, and normalized medium for relaxation, recreation, and socialization… Cycling Frog is the next iteration of that commitment. Join us in our journey to normalize cannabis consumption.
We hope we’ve provided a convincing argument for why you should include marijuana and cannabinoid themed emojis in the next iOS update. Remember, life’s short. Enjoy the ride.
Cycling Frog x
