Did MJ Really Appear on the KFC Menu?

Back in 2015, social media feeds were abuzz with the news that the fast-food chain KFC had supposedly acquired a license to sell marijuana (MJ) in its restaurants. But did a new item really appear on the menu of American fast-food outlets?

Fake News and Its Varieties

The reliability of facts that social media pages feed to users is, to put it mildly, questionable. Did you really believe that Americans could now order weed along with their chicken at KFC?

Fake news can generally be divided into two types. The first is information that cites a made-up source. For example, on March 3, 2015, journalists from “The Onion” used this technique in an article about illegal marijuana farms in Utah. The author embellished real facts about some pets “getting hooked” on marijuana grown nearby by inventing fictional commentators to liven up the story.

But that’s nothing compared to what other media outlets do. Their stories are fabricated from start to finish. For instance, “The Daily Currant” published a shameless hoax on January 2, 2014, claiming that 37 Americans died from marijuana overdoses on the very first day of legalization in Colorado. The article even asserted that the state government immediately reversed its decision to legalize marijuana.

Tracing the Source

So, what kind of news is the claim that “KFC acquired a business license to sell marijuana in Colorado restaurants”? Searching for the source outside of social media leads to “The Racket Report.” By the time of writing, over 270,000 visitors had already shared this “news” with their followers on Facebook and Twitter (the number of likes and reposts is anyone’s guess).

But let’s look closer at “The Racket Report.” Doubts about the credibility of their news arise immediately—just consider their “exclusive coverage of Miley Cyrus and Bieber’s wedding.” As for the sensational article about marijuana at KFC, the site’s authors claim the corporation received a license on February 2, and that now, in 42 out of 100 KFC restaurants in Colorado, customers can order dishes with marijuana.

It almost sounds believable. After all, Colorado was the first state where you could buy recreational marijuana in stores. However, this news was never confirmed by any local publication, let alone the official website of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

To Believe or Not to Believe

People tend to trust what they read online. Not only do they believe it, but they also mislead others by clicking “Share” or “Tell Friends” without bothering to check the facts. Fictional stories spread like wildfire on social media, while corrections rarely get the same attention.

For example, on the same “reliable” news site “The Racket Report,” there’s an “About Us” page. If you check it, you’ll find that “some stories on this website are fictional.” In other words, the editors take no responsibility for the accuracy of their information. But by then, the story has already gone viral on Twitter.

This whole situation is eerily reminiscent of an episode of the cartoon “South Park.” In March 2010, the episode “Medicinal Fried Chicken” aired, where a dispensary selling medical marijuana opens in place of KFC in South Park, and Cartman starts selling chicken on the black market. Perhaps this episode inspired the author at “The Racket Report” to create their own sensation.

Prepared by: Il0