Most Online Cannabis Health Information Accessed by Thai Breast Cancer Survivors Is Poor Quality
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.
Quick Facts
What This Study 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.
Key Numbers
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 They Did This
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.
Why This Research 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 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.
What This Study Doesn't 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.
Questions This Raises
- ?Could platform-level content moderation improve cannabis health information quality?
- ?Do patients who consume poor-quality cannabis content actually change their treatment decisions?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 64% of cannabis health content was generic news or promotional material
- Evidence Grade:
- Mixed methods quality assessment of a small sample of online content. Novel findings but limited generalizability.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2024.
- Original Title:
- Evaluating Online Cannabis Health Information for Thai Breast Cancer Survivors Using the Quality Evaluation Scoring Tool (QUEST): Mixed Method Study.
- Published In:
- JMIR cancer, 10, e55300 (2024)
- Authors:
- Peerawong, Thanarpan, Phenwan, Tharin, Makita, Meiko, Supanichwatana, Sojirat, Puttarak, Panupong, Siammai, Naowanit, Sunthorn, Prakaidao
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05614
Evidence Hierarchy
Uses interviews or focus groups to understand experiences in depth.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is online cannabis health information reliable?
This study found most was not. Only content from healthcare providers and government sources consistently met quality standards, while alternative medicine providers and news channels produced misleading content.
What was wrong with the poor-quality content?
It normalized and romanticized cannabis use without discussing contraindications or side effects, often promoting it as a cure-all for cancer.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05614APA
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
MLA
Peerawong, Thanarpan, et al. "Evaluating Online Cannabis Health Information for Thai Breast Cancer Survivors Using the Quality Evaluation Scoring Tool (QUEST): Mixed Method Study.." JMIR cancer, 2024. https://doi.org/10.2196/55300
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Evaluating Online Cannabis Health Information for Thai Breas..." RTHC-05614. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/peerawong-2024-evaluating-online-cannabis-health
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.