Fordee from Herbistry420 sits down to share three major channel updates — including the news that Herbistry420 was banned in Russia. This isn’t a product review or a cooking video; it’s a raw, honest conversation about the challenges cannabis content creators face on major platforms, and a heartfelt thank-you to the community that keeps the channel alive.
Herbistry420 Banned in Russia — What Happened
About three weeks before filming, Fordee woke up to an email from YouTube: Herbistry420 had been banned in Russia. Russia State Attorneys sent a formal letter to YouTube declaring the channel illegal because it discusses cannabis — vape reviews, cooking with cannabis, and cannabis education. YouTube complied, and the channel no longer appears for viewers in Russia.
For Russian viewers who followed Herbistry420, Fordee sends his apologies — there’s nothing he can do on his end. The ban is a reminder that cannabis content operates under very different rules in different parts of the world. Russia’s strict anti-cannabis stance means even educational content about the plant is considered illegal, and platforms are required to act on government requests.
3 Social Media Bans That Hit the Channel
The Russia situation was just one of three major setbacks. Fordee also lost access to key social media accounts in rapid succession:
- Personal Facebook account — permanently banned. Fordee posted a joke meme (a photoshopped image of a baby with a drawn face) that Facebook’s automated systems flagged. The result was a permanent account ban with no path to appeal — and because his personal account managed the Herbistry420 pages, everything connected to it went down too.
- Herbistry420 Instagram — lost. With the personal Facebook account gone, access to the main Herbistry420 Instagram was also wiped. Follower contacts, DMs, and years of posts were no longer accessible.
- Art Instagram (Can’t Stop Art Gallery) — also gone. Fordee had sold artwork through his art Instagram account. All buyer messages, contacts, and that entire sales channel disappeared with the Facebook ban.
To rebuild, Fordee created a new backup Instagram — herbistry420_420 — repurposing a former account with an even larger following. While the old pages are gone, the community is being rebuilt from a stronger starting position.
Cannabis YouTube Channels and the Algorithm Problem
Fordee also opened up about a frustration shared by every cannabis YouTube creator: the algorithmic disadvantage of 18+ content. Videos marked as age-restricted reach far fewer people by default — viewers must be logged in and verified, cutting organic reach significantly. Non-restricted channels get shown to anyone, logged in or not.
Despite running a mixed-content channel — vape reviews, cannabis cooking, edibles, jokes, and lifestyle content — Fordee keeps making videos because the community responds. The ADHD creative approach isn’t going away, even if it makes things harder for the algorithm.
What’s Coming Next on Herbistry420
None of this is slowing the channel down. Upcoming content includes the Ispire Wand review, the DynaVap Bonger with the M7 tip, more cooking and edibles videos, and the usual mix of memes and stoner content that keeps things interesting. If you’ve been watching and want to help the channel grow, liking, commenting, and sharing makes a bigger difference on a cannabis channel than almost anywhere else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Herbistry420 banned in Russia?
Russian State Attorneys sent YouTube a formal letter declaring Herbistry420 illegal because it covers cannabis — including vape reviews and cannabis cooking content. YouTube acted on the request and the channel no longer appears in Russian search results or recommendations. The ban is enforced at the platform level; Fordee has no way to reverse it.
Can Russian viewers still watch Herbistry420?
Herbistry420 banned in Russia –The channel no longer appears through standard YouTube access in Russia. Viewers in Russia who want to watch would need to use a VPN to access the content from outside the restricted region.
What happened to Herbistry420’s Instagram?
Fordee’s personal Facebook account was permanently banned over a joke meme. Because the Facebook account managed the Herbistry420 Instagram pages, losing Facebook access meant losing those accounts too. A new official Instagram — herbistry420_420 — has been set up as the replacement.
Is Herbistry420 still making videos?
Yes — the channel is continuing with no interruption. Upcoming reviews include the Ispire Wand and DynaVap Bonger with M7 tip, plus cooking and lifestyle content. The platform challenges haven’t changed what gets made; they’ve just made it harder to distribute. Liking and sharing videos is the single most helpful thing viewers can do to support a cannabis channel.
References
Learn More on Herbistry420
Support the Channel
If you enjoy Herbistry420’s content, consider supporting the channel:
☕ Buy Fordee a Coffee / Beer / Spliff
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