The DEA Wants Teens To Become Anti-Weed Influencers For $25 A Pop

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is trying to be cool again. And by "cool," we mean desperately attempting to curb the inevitable: weed is mainstream, legal in much of the U.S. and enjoying a global glow-up. But instead of rolling with the times, the DEA has teamed up with anti-cannabis nonprofit Johnny's Ambassadors to recruit young people for a TikTok—sorry, Instagram—campaign against THC. As reported by Marijuana Moment’s Kyle Jaeger, the plan is to pay kids to make videos bashing weed because nothing says authenticity like a government-funded hashtag campaign.

Paying Teens To Say No To Weed

For its latest "Just Say No" remix, the DEA is dangling cash in front of students to get them to post anti-THC videos ahead of April 20—aka 4/20, aka Christmas for stoners. The going rate? A whopping $25 for a solo rant, $35 for a group effort and a mighty $50 for a professionally shot skit (with adult supervision, of course). The goal? To "flood" Instagram with anti-cannabis content, telling young people that weed is bad.

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Johnny's Ambassadors, the group leading this crusade, wants videos explaining how THC supposedly tanks athletic performance, busting "myths" about cannabis, or sharing sob stories about how pot ruined someone's life. But let's be clear: no cussing, no laughing and absolutely no pretending to smoke not even as a joke.

The Timing Is…Suspicious

Now, let's talk about why this is weird. The DEA is in the middle of potentially rescheduling cannabis, a move that would mark the biggest federal shift on marijuana in decades. So why, in the middle of this seismic policy moment, is the agency pushing what feels like a D.A.R.E. campaign with better lighting?

Johnny's Ambassadors has a deeply personal backstory. The group was founded by parents of a teenager who died by suicide after consuming high-potency cannabis concentrates. Their grief is real, but their messaging leans hard into old-school fear tactics, avoiding the kind of harm reduction strategies that have proven effective elsewhere.

The DEA's Cringe-Worthy Track Record

This isn't even the DEA's first time fumbling the "relatable youth messaging" thing. In 2023, the agency suggested teens could get a "natural high" by becoming famous on Instagram or staring at puppies at a pet store. That really happened. And who could forget the infamous guide on decoding "drug emojis," which had all the accuracy of a Boomer trying to interpret Gen Z slang?

Now, we've got the DEA awkwardly cosigning a campaign that's paying kids to be anti-weed influencers—while the rest of the country moves on, puffing away legally.

Can The DEA Stop The Inevitable?

The cannabis industry isn't slowing down. The DEA can fund as many Instagram campaigns as it wants, but the reality is clear: legal weed is a juggernaut, markets are expanding and public opinion is overwhelmingly pro-cannabis. The real question is, will this campaign actually get traction? Or will it be another entry in the DEA's Greatest Hits of Embarrassing Youth Outreach?

Either way, mark your calendars: April 20 is coming, and no Instagram video will stop the smoke from rolling in.

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