A content analysis of internet information sources on medical cannabis
- PDF / 536,173 Bytes
- 6 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 41 Downloads / 197 Views
Journal of Cannabis Research
(2020) 2:29
BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT
Open Access
A content analysis of internet information sources on medical cannabis Daniel J. Kruger1* , Ilana M. Moffet2,3, Liliah C. Seluk2,3 and Lara A. Zammit2,3
Abstract Background: Medical cannabis users report that their knowledge regarding cannabis is predominantly from their own personal experiences and the Internet. Objective: We summarize and describe information found through Internet searches on medical cannabis in English language websites. Methods: We used terms related to medical cannabis in the Google search engine between November and December 2019. Resulting websites were catalogued and coded for content, including mentions of health and medical conditions, pharmacology, dosage, harmful or adverse effects, harm reduction techniques, cautions or warnings, products for sale, and credentials. Results: We coded 344 web pages on 179 unique websites. Cannabis was mentioned for the treatment of 151 different medical and health conditions, only four of the twenty most frequently mentioned conditions have received substantial empirical support for cannabis or cannabinoid treatment. Information content varied widely across sites, only a small proportion of sites included information on pharmacology, dosage, risks, and other aspects that are requirements for pharmaceutical drugs. Information provided was only moderately related to conclusions in the emerging scientific literature. Conclusions: Given the rise in cannabis use within the U.S. and the reliance on the Internet as a source of information, considerable efforts are needed to provide accurate on-line cannabis education to minimize harms and maximize benefits for individuals and society. Keywords: Medical cannabis, Marijuana, Cannabinoid, Knowledge, Internet, Information
Background Cannabis is rapidly transitioning from an illicit substance to one legally available and widely used for both recreational and medicinal purposes. Changes in cannabis’ legal status have outpaced scientific and educational efforts, and regulatory requirements lag behind those for other psychoactive substances. In comparison, the Tobacco Control Act (Public Law 111–31 [H.R. 1256]) gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration broad authority to regulate tobacco products, including requiring manufacturers to publish an understandable list of * Correspondence: [email protected] 1 Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1248, USA Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
harmful and potentially harmful constituents and conducting consumer research to ensure that this list is not misleading. This Act also provides detailed requirements for the content and format of warning labels, with specific content required for different kinds of tobacco products. The Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (Public Law 100–690, 102 Stat. 4181 [H.R. 5210]) requires the labels of alcoholic bevera
Data Loading...
