More states have legalized or decriminalized marijuana, and it's clear that a greater portion of America is embracing weed. But social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are lagging behind.

As ATTN: has previously reported, Instagram began shutting down marijuana-centric accounts in January. And earlier this month, a marijuana business in Oregon claimed Facebook shut down its pages for violating the site's drug policy, according to Oregon Live.

A Facebook representative told ATTN: that marijuana-related posts are removed in order to maintain a "safe environment" on the site. "Anyone can report content to us if they think it violates our standards," the rep said. "Our teams review these reports rapidly and will remove the content if there is a violation.”

So where are marijuana users who want to discreetly post about their drug of choice supposed to go?

Enter 'Social Weedia'

MassRoots, which launched in 2014, is one of a handful of sites stepping up to fill the social media void for marijuana users.

"There's roughly 10 million Americans who consume cannabis on a monthly basis and engage with some form of social media," chief executive Isaac Dietrich told ATTN:. "MassRoots is hyper-focused on building the best products for cannabis consumers and businesses." The company is approaching a million users, he added.

A MassRoots user named Maria, who asked that we not use her last name, told ATTN: that she prioritizes having a safe environment to meet fellow marijuana enthusiasts and uses the site to book places to stay where she can smoke when she travels.

"I feel much more comfortable knowing where I am staying, where to buy what I need, where I can consume without risk of getting in trouble and, best of all, knowing I have friends close by," she said.

More than a database of dispensaries, MassRoots also strives to provide a true online community for marijuana lovers.

"Social media outlets such as Instagram and Facebook have a such strict anti-drug policies, it's essentially shunning cannabis," Maria said. "My family just found out I smoked recently, but up until then, not many people knew. I used to be on Instagram until some posts were deleted and many of my favorite cannabis profiles were deleted multiple times. I am very passionate about being true to who you are, to not only the world, but to yourself."

Airbnb, but for Weed

Social weedia company BudHubz aims to solve another problem often faced by traveling marijuana enthusiasts: finding a place to light up on the road. The website gives cannabis users a place to chat about marijuana and a means for travelers to arrange for locations to enjoy their favorite bud. It's been in beta testing for months, and the company hopes to be ready for the public this month.

BudHubz co-founder David Vinokurov told ATTN: that the goal of the site is to make smoking while you're traveling safe and enjoyable. “Why would you stay at a Holiday Inn that [might] kick you out in the middle of the night if you prefer to consume your medicine in the smokable form?” he asked.

Flickr/ashton - flickr.com

BudHubz operates like an Airbnb for weed; users can locate a place to enjoy marijuana for one afternoon or book a smoker-friendly residence for a longer stay. They can also become friends with marijuana consumers from around the globe.

Vivokurov, who said he used to smoke weed every day until quitting eight years ago, said BudHubz was created to serve an unmet need and to adapt to a changing culture.

He's also got his eye on expanding the company globally to both smokers and non-smokers alike.

“If you look at some of the top 10 countries that have marijuana consumers in them, you're talking close to 200 million people, … and the community, if I may call it that, is a lot larger than the people who consume marijuana,” Vinokurov said.

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Breaking Down Marijuana's Social Media Stigma

As reported by The Huffington Post in September, law enforcement officers made more than 700,000 marijuana arrests in 2014, a sign that even as more states legalize the drug, an overwhelming stigma remains.

Dietrich said that one of the major benefits of a platform like MassRoots is that it provides a stigma-free environment free from the disapproving glare of friends and family members. "Marijuana holds a unique place in American culture: It's been outlawed and demonized, kept in the shadows for no legitimate reason, and now, finally, people are starting to realize the truth about it," Dietrich said.

Mass Roots co-founder Hyler Fortier said MassRoots wants to empower people to show the world it's OK to be pro-weed.

"Although the public is slowly shifting their opinion on marijuana, the stereotypes of cannabis consumers seem to persist," Fortier told ATTN:. "When widely respected organizations like Facebook take a stand against marijuana, they are further perpetuating these negative stigmas."