Two-thirds of cannabis-related health content accessed by Thai breast cancer survivors was generic or promotional, with alternative medicine providers and news channels producing the poorest quality content that romanticized cannabis as a cure-all.
Cancer patients researching cannabis, oncologists, and public health communicators.
64% of cannabis health content was generic news or promotional material
What the researchers found
Of 62 Thai-language cannabis content items, 64% were news-related or generic advertisements. Content from alternative medicine providers and news channels was significantly poorer quality than from healthcare providers or government sources. Two concerning discourse patterns emerged: cannabis use normalization and cannabis romanticization as a panacea, both neglecting contraindications and side effects.
Why it matters
Following Thailand's 2019 medical cannabis legalization, patients are seeking information online, but most of what they find is misleading. For cancer patients, acting on poor-quality cannabis information could lead to treatment delays or harmful interactions.
The numbers in context
62 content items evaluated; 48% on YouTube; 64% news-related/generic ads; 13% had no identifiable date; QUEST score cutoff of 15 (sensitivity 81%, specificity 98%); content creator was only significant quality predictor
How the study worked
Mixed methods study evaluating cannabis health content quality using the QUEST scoring tool (0-28 scale). 62 items from internet sources and social media were assessed by four researchers. Fairclough Critical Discourse Analysis examined poor-quality content themes.
What this study cannot tell us
Limited to Thai-language content. Small sample of 62 items. Breast cancer survivors' search behavior may not represent all cancer patients. Quality assessment tools have inherent subjectivity.
How to read the evidence
Mixed methods quality assessment of a small sample of online content. Novel findings but limited generalizability.
When this study was published
Published in 2024.
The bigger picture
This problem extends far beyond Thailand. As cannabis legalization spreads globally, the gap between evidence and online health information grows, particularly for vulnerable populations like cancer patients seeking alternatives.
Questions still open
- Could platform-level content moderation improve cannabis health information quality?
- Do patients who consume poor-quality cannabis content actually change their treatment decisions?
Common questions
Is online cannabis health information reliable?
What was wrong with the poor-quality content?
Read the original research
Evaluating Online Cannabis Health Information for Thai Breast Cancer Survivors Using the Quality Evaluation Scoring Tool (QUEST): Mixed Method Study.
JMIR cancer, 10, e55300
Citation
Peerawong, Thanarpan; Phenwan, Tharin; Makita, Meiko; Supanichwatana, Sojirat; Puttarak, Panupong; Siammai, Naowanit; Sunthorn, Prakaidao. (2024). Evaluating Online Cannabis Health Information for Thai Breast Cancer Survivors Using the Quality Evaluation Scoring Tool (QUEST): Mixed Method Study.. JMIR cancer, 10, e55300. https://doi.org/10.2196/55300
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