Facebook has deleted the pages of some medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the United States for violating the website's terms of service. A note was left explaining that the social network removes content that promotes or encourages illegal drug use, and that the business pages have broken the rules of the Facebook Community Terms and Standards.

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NJ.com reports that pages of three medicinal pot dispensaries in New Jersey have been taken down. It has also happened in some other areas of the country.

New Jersey laws strictly control what kinds of information can appear on a dispensary's website. For example, strain names cannot be listed, according to Engadget. This has caused many of them to use the world's largest social network as a secondary source of information.

Many patients are infuriated about the medical cannabis sites being shut down. One patient told NJ.com he was upset because Facebook did not explain why it had deleted the pages or give organizations a way to appeal the decision.

Other dispensary patients explained that they need the latest information provided by the sites including the newest strains that provide relief for their severe symptoms. There are about 5,700 patients in New Jersey's medical marijuana program.

It is not clear yet how many legal medical pot and recreational marijuana organizations were affected by the deleted Facebook pages. Dispensaries in Washington and Maine have used Facebook community forums during the past few months to complain about the social network's decision to block them from using the social media giant's business pages. One suggested it might take legal action.

A Facebook spokesperson told Engadget it removed the business pages because they broke its rules. However, the Community Standards only prevent unauthorized dealers from selling or trading prescription medicines, marijuana, and firearms.

The medical cannabis dispensaries are legal in the states where their businesses are based. However, federal law does not permit hemp growing or possession.

Medical marijuana is now legal in 23 U.S. states including New Jersey, according to NJ.com. The Obama administration has also announced it would not use federal law enforcement to investigate legal marijuana use in those states.

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