Cannabis Clinic Websites Promote 20 Medical Uses but Cite Low-Quality Evidence and Rarely Mention Harms
A review of 29 Ontario cannabis clinic websites found they promoted cannabis for 20 medical conditions but 15% of cited studies were at the lowest evidence level, and only 4 clinics mentioned any harms.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Twenty-nine cannabis clinics in Ontario promoted cannabis for 20 different medical indications including migraines, insomnia, and fibromyalgia. They cited 235 unique studies, but 15.3% (36/235) were at the lowest level of evidence (level 5 on the Oxford rubric). Only 4 clinic websites included any mention of harms associated with cannabis use.
Key Numbers
29 clinics identified. 20 medical indications promoted. 235 unique studies cited. 15.3% at lowest evidence level (level 5). Only 4 of 29 clinics mentioned any harms.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional web search identifying all cannabis clinic websites in Ontario, Canada, with physician involvement. Two independent reviewers identified all promoted medical indications and critically appraised all cited studies using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Levels of Evidence rubric.
Why This Research Matters
Patients often encounter cannabis clinic websites when researching medical cannabis. If these sites present low-quality evidence as fact and omit harm information, patients and physicians may make treatment decisions based on misleading information.
The Bigger Picture
The gap between marketing claims and evidence quality is a systemic issue in the medical cannabis industry. Without regulatory standards for health claims on cannabis clinic websites, patients lack the tools to evaluate what they are reading.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Limited to Ontario, Canada. Websites may have changed since search. Only evaluated publicly available content. Did not assess what clinicians told patients during consultations.
Questions This Raises
- ?Should cannabis clinic websites be held to the same advertising standards as pharmaceutical companies?
- ?Do patients make different decisions when clinic websites include balanced harm information?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Only 4 of 29 cannabis clinics mentioned any harms on their websites
- Evidence Grade:
- Systematic web-based analysis with dual independent review and validated evidence appraisal rubric.
- Study Age:
- Published 2023.
- Original Title:
- Evaluating the Supporting Evidence of Medical Cannabis Claims Made on Clinic Websites: Cross-Sectional Study.
- Published In:
- Journal of medical Internet research, 25, e45550 (2023)
- Authors:
- O'Neill, Braden, Ferguson, Jacob, Dalueg, Lauren, Yusuf, Abban, Kirubarajan, Abirami, Lloyd, Taryn, Mollanji, Eisi, Persaud, Navindra
- Database ID:
- RTHC-04819
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Are cannabis clinic website claims supported by good evidence?
This study found that 15% of studies cited by Ontario cannabis clinics were at the lowest evidence level, and only 4 of 29 clinics mentioned any risks or harms.
What conditions do cannabis clinics promote it for?
The 29 clinics promoted cannabis for 20 different conditions including migraines, insomnia, fibromyalgia, and many others.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-04819APA
O'Neill, Braden; Ferguson, Jacob; Dalueg, Lauren; Yusuf, Abban; Kirubarajan, Abirami; Lloyd, Taryn; Mollanji, Eisi; Persaud, Navindra. (2023). Evaluating the Supporting Evidence of Medical Cannabis Claims Made on Clinic Websites: Cross-Sectional Study.. Journal of medical Internet research, 25, e45550. https://doi.org/10.2196/45550
MLA
O'Neill, Braden, et al. "Evaluating the Supporting Evidence of Medical Cannabis Claims Made on Clinic Websites: Cross-Sectional Study.." Journal of medical Internet research, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2196/45550
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Evaluating the Supporting Evidence of Medical Cannabis Claim..." RTHC-04819. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/o-neill-2023-evaluating-the-supporting-evidence
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.