RethinkTHC

Editorial Policy

How we research, write, verify, and maintain every piece of content on RethinkTHC.

Mission Statement

RethinkTHC is a science-first cannabis education platform. Cannabis is a health topic. The information we publish has real consequences for the people who read it — we take that responsibility seriously.

Our mission is to provide accurate, evidence-based cannabis education grounded in peer-reviewed research. We are neither pro-cannabis nor anti-cannabis. We are pro-evidence. We report both the potential benefits and the documented risks with equal rigor, and we are transparent about what the science does and does not support.

Source Selection

Not all sources are created equal. We apply strict selection criteria to ensure our content is grounded in the strongest available evidence.

Peer-reviewed journals we draw from

We source claims from peer-reviewed journals with established impact in psychiatry, neuroscience, pharmacology, and public health, including:

  • JAMA, JAMA Network Open, JAMA Psychiatry
  • The Lancet, The Lancet Psychiatry
  • New England Journal of Medicine
  • Neuropsychopharmacology
  • Molecular Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry
  • American Journal of Psychiatry
  • PLOS ONE, PLOS Medicine
  • Sleep
  • Current Psychiatry Reports
  • Drug and Alcohol Dependence
  • Addiction, Addiction Biology
  • Journal of Clinical Investigation
  • Psychopharmacology
  • British Journal of Pharmacology

Clinical guidelines we reference

  • DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
  • SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) publications
  • ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) guidelines
  • NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) research publications
  • WHO (World Health Organization) reports on cannabis and cannabinoids

What we never cite as evidence

  • Blogs, forums, Reddit threads, or opinion pieces
  • News articles as primary evidence (we may link for context, not as proof)
  • Cannabis industry marketing materials or product claims
  • Social media posts or influencer content
  • Unverified secondary sources or unsourced statistics
  • Preprints that have not undergone peer review (noted if referenced for context)

Evidence Hierarchy

We weight evidence according to a standard research hierarchy, ranked from strongest to weakest in terms of causal evidence:

  1. Meta-analyses — statistically combine results from multiple studies to derive pooled conclusions
  2. Systematic reviews — comprehensive search and critical appraisal of all available evidence
  3. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) — participants randomly assigned to treatment or control groups
  4. Cohort / longitudinal studies — follow a group over time to track outcomes and exposures
  5. Cross-sectional studies — measure variables at a single point in time across a population
  6. Case-control studies — compare individuals with a condition to matched controls
  7. Observational studies — researchers observe without intervention or manipulation
  8. Narrative reviews — overview of existing literature (not systematic)
  9. Pilot studies — small-scale preliminary studies to test feasibility
  10. Animal studies — research conducted on non-human subjects
  11. Case reports — detailed description of a single patient or small group

When we cite a study, we note its design type so readers understand the weight of the evidence. A single case report does not carry the same weight as a meta-analysis of 20 RCTs — and we make that distinction clear.

Citation Standard

Vague attribution is not attribution. We hold ourselves to a specific, verifiable citation standard across every article we publish.

  • Every factual claim includes the author name(s), publication year, and journal name.
  • Study details are provided wherever relevant: sample size, methodology, and specific findings with numbers.
  • We do not use phrases like “studies show” or “research suggests” without naming the specific study. If we cannot name it, we do not claim it.
  • Readers can verify any claim by looking up the named study — we give you enough information to find the original source yourself.
  • Our internal citation library contains over 6,500 verified peer-reviewed sources with full bibliographic data, specific numerical findings, evidence strength ratings, and topic tags that map each source to the articles and research pillars that reference it.

How We Handle Uncertainty

Science is not a collection of settled facts. Cannabis research in particular is a rapidly evolving field with significant gaps in the evidence base. We are honest about what we know, what we do not know, and what is still being studied.

  • When evidence is mixed, we present both sides and let you weigh the findings.
  • We use a three-tier evidence labeling system:
    • Well-established — supported by multiple large studies, meta-analyses, or systematic reviews with consistent findings
    • Moderate evidence — several studies with consistent findings, but limited by sample size, methodology, or lack of replication
    • Preliminary — single studies, small samples, animal models, pilot data, or early-phase clinical trials
  • We do not present preliminary findings as settled science.
  • Study limitations are always noted — including small sample size, self-report bias, confounding variables, lack of replication, and methodological constraints.
  • When we do not know something, we say “the research has not established this” rather than speculating or filling the gap with conjecture.

Content Review Pipeline

Every article passes through a five-stage editorial pipeline before it reaches you.

  1. Research. Systematic literature review and source identification. Relevant studies are pulled from our verified citation library of 6,500+ sources and supplemented with targeted literature searches across PubMed, Google Scholar, and journal databases.
  2. Drafting with inline citations. The article is composed with every factual claim tied to a named source during the writing process. Citations are embedded inline during composition — not added retroactively.
  3. Accuracy review. All claims are cross-referenced against the original source studies. Numbers, percentages, sample sizes, and methodology descriptions are verified against the citation library to catch transcription errors or mischaracterizations.
  4. Preflight verification. Automated checks confirm formatting consistency, frontmatter completeness, metadata integrity, structural validation, and schema correctness. No article is published with missing or malformed metadata.
  5. Publication with version tracking. The article is published with both datePublished and dateModified timestamps, enabling full version tracking and transparent change history.

Content Updates

  • Articles are reviewed when significant new research emerges in their topic area.
  • Every article displays both its original publication date and most recent modification date.
  • Corrections are published within 7 days of verified error identification.
  • We maintain transparent versioning — substantive changes are always reflected in the modification date. We do not silently alter published content.
  • A changelog is maintained to track all corrections across the platform.

Editorial Independence

Our credibility depends on our independence. We guard it carefully.

  • RethinkTHC does not accept funding from cannabis companies, dispensaries, or cannabis-adjacent businesses.
  • We do not display advertising from cannabis companies, CBD brands, or dispensaries.
  • We have no affiliate links and earn no commissions from any cannabis product or service.
  • Content decisions are driven by the research, not by commercial interests.
  • We cover both the potential benefits and the documented risks of cannabis use with equal rigor. Our editorial position is pro-evidence, not pro- or anti-cannabis.

Conflict of Interest Policy

  • RethinkTHC has no financial relationships with any entity that profits from cannabis sales, distribution, or marketing.
  • We do not publish sponsored content, paid placements, or advertorial content of any kind.
  • No contributor to RethinkTHC has a financial stake in any cannabis company, dispensary, or cannabis product manufacturer.
  • If any potential conflict of interest arises in the future, it will be disclosed prominently on the affected content.

Corrections Policy

We welcome corrections. Accuracy is more important than being right the first time.

  • Email corrections to corrections@rethinkthc.com with a description of the issue and, if applicable, the article URL or RTHC study ID.
  • We review all submissions and respond within 7 days.
  • Verified errors are corrected promptly and the dateModified field is updated.
  • All corrections are logged in our changelog.
  • We do not silently alter published content.

What We Are Not

  • We are not a medical provider and do not provide medical advice.
  • We are not a substitute for professional healthcare. If you have a medical concern, consult a qualified healthcare provider.
  • We are not affiliated with any cannabis company, dispensary, or advocacy organization.
  • We do not recommend or discourage cannabis use. We provide the evidence so you can make informed decisions.

Read our full medical disclaimer for complete details.

Contact Our Editorial Team

We believe transparency is a two-way street. If you have questions about our editorial process, want to verify a source, or need to flag an error, we want to hear from you.

Last updated: March 2026