THE (REALLY, REALLY) BIG PAGE OF MOD MESSAGES

So we have eight rules, but over the years we have developed quit a few standard mod messages, also called removal reasons, to address many different situations that we usually take out.

You’ll find this to be the most complete guide to the things that we usually take out — all the various permutations and circumstances and edge cases that have come up with some regularity on the sub. It’s more a reference than a read, but this should cover most things you’ll run into on the sub, and if it’s not here then you know it’s right to bump up to a higher level mod.

You’re going to use a few of these a lot more than the others, so don’t be overwhelmed by it, just keep in mind that there are mod messages already written for a whole lot of situations, so have a look at the list if you run into an unfamiliar problem.

The list below will pop up every time you hit “remove” so we won’t duplicate the text of each individual message here, but we’ve made some notes below for what each is used for as a guide. Please note the “Action:Tag” associated with each for entry into Snoonotes.

Once you’ve had a look at this list then you’ve pretty much seen everything you need to understand to start. The rest you will learn through experience. But before we let you loose on the sub let’s spend one more page talking about how to handle situations that fall outside this guide…

< How to Moderate

---------------- RULE 1. KINDNESS -------------------

Play Nice 1 (Straightforward) -- W:Rude
This is just a general “we’re nice to each other here message.”

Play Nice 2 (Disagree with someone) -- W:Rude
This is for arguments — even if you disagree with someone you have to do it in a kind way.

Play Nice 3 (Don't feed trolls) -- W:Rude
People like to go after trolls or people who aren’t being supportive, but that’s the mod’s job.

Play Nice 4 (Don't argue even if people are being rude to you) -- W:Rude
Someone being rude to you is bad, but you can’t be rude back. Just walk away.

Play Nice 5 (Tough love) -- W:Rude
We don’t do tough love here. Just the regular kind of love.

We're a place of kindness -- W:Rude
This is a more generic kindness reminder. Often used if people are being unkind about third parties like boyfriends or unsupportive people.

---------------- RULE 2. MODERATION -------------------

Moderation 1 -- W:Moderation
A general and more firm “we’re here to quit for good” message.

Moderation 2 -- W:Moderation
A more gentle and explanatory “we’re here to quit for good” message.

I'm Going to Moderate -- W:Moderation
Good for people who are cutting back or “trying to find a good relationship” with weed.

Taking a Break -- W:Moderation
For people taking a definite break — t-break, quitting for X days, etc.

Should I Quit/What is Addiction -- W:Should I Quit
We get many posts asking if we consider their use a problem or if they should quit, but that’s a decision only they can make. We take those out and send this message to help them figure it out.

---------------- RULE 3. SMOKED TODAY -------------------

Smoked Today -- W:Smoked today
If they say they’re high right now, smoked today, “just finished the last of my stash,” or anything that indicated they’re in violation of Rule 3.

Posting Intoxicated -- W:Posting Intoxicated
The same, but with alcohol or other drugs.

Quitting in a month/when this stash is finished/etc.
We get many posts about future plans to quit. Right after this stash is finished, just smoking until my birthday and then I’m don’t for good, one last time with my friends at the lake house, the list goes on. As we all know, we all definitely planned to quit “tomorrow” a hundred times, so we take these out wand encourage them to post after they get all that smoking behind them.

---------------- RULE 4 KEEP IT ABOUT YOU -------------------

Keep It About You -- W:Keep it about you
Our general keep-it-about-you message. Us this if you are removing the post.

Keep It About You (Temporary -- Edit) -- W:Keep it about you temp
Can the post be saved if they can change the “You need to do this” to “This is what I did?” This message gives them the opportunity to edit the post and have it put back up.

---------------- RULE 5. OTHER PEOPLE/SMOKERS -------------------

Other Smokers/Potheads -- W:Other smokers
For people who are getting down on smokers or smoking culture. It’s not for us to judge, and people who come to us who are still part of that culture need to feel welcome, not see that we were mocking them.

Family or Friends -- W:Family
Many non-smokers come to us for advice about family or friends with a problem. Unfortunately, that’s outside our scope as a group. This message refers them to other resources.

---------------- RULE 6. OTHER DRUGS, MEDS, OR SUPPLEMENTS -------------------

Drugs and Supplements -- W:Drugs/Supps
For a full deletion of any drugs or supplements content.

Drugs and Supplements (Temporary) -- W:Drugs/Supps temp
Asking them to edit out any drug or supplement content.

Drugs and Supplements (Temporary - CBD) -- W:CBD temp
Asking them to edit a post or comment specifically about CBD.

Drugs and Supplements (Temporary - Other Drugs)-- W:Drugs temp
Asking them to edit a post or comment specifically about other drugs or meds.

Drugs and Supplements (Temporary - Supplements) -- W:Supps temp
Asking them to edit a post or comment specifically about supplements.

---------------- RULE 7. OUTSIDE MEDIA/LINKS -------------------

Outside Media -- W:Media
If you have to remove a post with an outside link.

Outside Media - Temp -- W:Media temp
If the link isn’t critical to the post or comment you can ask them to just edit it out.

Jordan Peterson-- W:Peterson
We have had so many problems on the sub with Jordan Peterson mentions that they are now banned for good. That includes all mention of books, materials, videos or anything. We’re done with him.

Jordan Peterson - temp -- W:Peterson temp
Asking them to edit out a Jordan Peterson reference.

Joe Rogan -- W:Rogan
Same with Joe Rogan. No longer welcome here.

Joe Rogan - temp -- W:Rogan temp
Asking them to edit out a Joe Rogan reference.

---------------- OTHER SITUATIONS -------------------

RULES:

.....Rule Evasion -- W:Evasion
This generally applies when people have has a post or comment removed and they take active steps to avoid filters, like saying “…so I smoked seebeedee instead…” This is not a good way to be and we take it seriously, so this messages tells them they will be banned if they do it again. And they will be.

.....Complaining About Rules -- W:Rules
Some people will always have problems with the rules and how we enforce them, but complaining about them with posts or comments disrupts the group. They are welcome to take it up with us, and this message tells them that. This generally does not make them happy, but that’s just how it goes.

.....Neighborhood Watch -- W:Neighborhood Watch
This is for people who want to do our job for us. People who remind others of the rules or take people to task for not following them. This reminds them that next time they should just hit report and move on.

ANTI-LEAVES:

.....Everyone Keeps Blaming Weed -- W:Blaming Weed
Some people take offense at our characterizations of weed as addictive, a problem, or anything that casts it in a negative light. This message let’s them know our policy on that as we’re taking their opinions down.

.....This Sub is Bad/Dumb/Full of Over-Reactors 1 -- W:Anti-Leaves
Some people thing that we are the problem, or that we are not telling the truth about how we feel. This message also lets them know our policy on that as we are taking their opinions down.

ANTI-CANNABIS:

.....Cannabis is Bad/The Devil/Should Be Outlawed -- W:Anti-Weed
We do attract a certain number of anti-weed activists, or people who have become anti-weed activists after quitting or having a bad time, but that’s not our mission. As we say in the sidebar, we are a pot-positive community. The only problem we have with weed is that it isn’t right for us.

OFF-TOPIC:

.....Off Topic Post -- W:OT Post
For off-topic posts.

.....Off Topic Comment -- W:OT comment
For off-topic comments.

.....Drug Testing/Detox -- W:Testing
We do not allow posts regarding drugs testing, beating tests, detox times before tests, or ways to detox faster. We’re all about one method — quitting and staying quit, and then letting your body clear out when it can.

.....Quitting nicotine -- W:Nicotine
Many people outside the US smoke mixed bowls of nicotine and cannabis, so as long as nicotine discussions are in the context of cannabis they’re okay. But occasionally people want to talk just about tobacco, like “I feel like I’ve kicked the weed, not cigarettes are next. Any tips?” This message refers them to r/stopsmoking, a better sub for quitting nicotine.

.....Sexual Topics -- W:Sexual
Some people who participate frequently in sexually-focused subreddits like r/nofap can become very comfortable discussing sexual topics. That is not the case, however, for everyone. If a post or comment raises a sexual issue and people reply in kind that is generally okay, but we do not allow people to raise sexual topics with others unprompted under any circumstances.

RELIGION:

.....Recommending Religion -- W:Religion, recommending
They are welcome to discuss the role religion plays in their recovery, but they cannot recommend it to others as a solution.

.....Religion - Denigrating -- W:Religion, denigrating
We have a wide variety of faiths on Leaves, including no faith at all, and we treat each with respect.

MISCELLANEOUS:

.....Shadowbanned -- W:Shadowbanned
In forming shadowbanned users that they’ve been shadowbanned is a controversial subject on reddit, but our position is that if they are trying to get help in good faith then they have a right to know. If, of course, they are trolling or doing anything else that doesn’t make it clear they are asking for help then don’t bother.

.....Badges or Flair -- W:Badges
Occasionally people ask for badges like stop smoking and other support groups. We’ve decided against them, as explained in a post linked from the message and on the sidebar.

.....Discord/Whatsapp/Chat Channel -- W:Chat
We can’t vet outside groups, so the only chat we support it our own.

.....Medical Question/Issue -- W:Medical
This will always be a judgment call, but posts on medical topics generally fall into three categories — complaint about physical symptoms, asking if other people are experiencing what they are, and describing symptoms and asking what’s wrong. We are a support group, not a medical group. If they are asking for support through the difficult of physical symptoms that’s usually fine, but if they want anything more, from reasons to treatments, to diagnosis, you should remove it and use this message.

.....Formatting - Paragraphs -- W:Format, para
Occasionally, people on mobile type long posts without paragraphs, making them impossible to read. This message asks them to put in paragraphs. This isn’t a deletable offense though, so hit remove, send this message, and then approve the message again so the post stays up.

.....Weed isn’t addictive -- W:Not addictive
We are a place that knows weed is addictive more than most, and there is science to back it up. This is a message who want to assert it isn’t. This applies to both “physically” addictive and “psychologically” addictive.

.....Weed isn’t addictive temp -- W:Format, tabs
This gives you a chance to edit thing about weed not being addictive out. This is used most often with people who mention it in passing, liek “I know weed isn’t supposed to be addictive, but…” It comes out because it’s just not something we discuss, and if you leave it up, even if it’s not the point of the post, people will address that in the comments.

.....DM Dealers -- W:DM Dealers
Sadly, we have many bots that send people DMs after they post or Leaves trying to sell people weed. If someone posts or comments about it take it out and send them this, then they can report it.

.....Favorite book, music, or other media threads -- W:Favorites
We see a whole lot of these, so we only allow them occasionally. Take them down, but if one has slipped by and got a lot of traction then raise in in r/leavesmods and maybe we’ll consider approving it.

.....Personal Connections/Outside Groups -- W:Groups
People occasionally ask for sponsors, DMs, or want to start other groups or group chats. All these come out and they are referred to the Discord meetings. Not only because that’s out moderated group chat, but because it’s much better suited to keeping that process safe and finding someone open to talking.

< How to Moderate