A content analysis of over 36,000 marijuana-related tweets found that most adolescent posts reflected positive attitudes, and tweets about personal use increased after two states legalized recreational cannabis.
Parents, educators, and anyone interested in how cannabis legalization affects youth attitudes on social media.
65.6% of adolescent marijuana tweets reflected a positive attitude
What the researchers found
Researchers analyzed a random sample of marijuana-related tweets from two periods: six months before and six months after the November 2012 U.S. election that legalized recreational cannabis in Colorado and Washington.
Among adolescent users, 65.6% of original tweets reflected a positive attitude toward marijuana, and 42.9% indicated personal use. Of tweets that mentioned parents, 36% suggested parental support for the adolescent's marijuana use.
Between the pre- and post-election periods, tweets about personal marijuana use increased, as did positive perceptions about the drug.
Why it matters
Social media discussions can normalize substance use among young people. The finding that positive marijuana content increased after legalization raises questions about how policy changes shape public discourse and potentially influence adolescent attitudes toward cannabis.
The numbers in context
71,901 total tweets collected. 36,969 original tweets analyzed. 1,928 tweets from self-identified adolescents. 65.6% of adolescent tweets showed positive attitudes toward marijuana. 42.9% indicated personal use. 36% of parent-mentioning tweets suggested parental approval.
How the study worked
The study collected a 1% random sample of all tweets matching marijuana-related search terms during two three-week windows (before and after the 2012 election). After excluding non-relevant and foreign-language tweets, 36,969 original tweets were analyzed using a structured codebook. Self-reported age was extracted from tweet metadata when available.
What this study cannot tell us
The study relied on self-reported age, which is unreliable on Twitter. Only a 1% sample of tweets was captured. Content analysis cannot determine actual marijuana use behavior. The study cannot establish whether the increase in positive tweets caused changes in attitudes or behavior.
How to read the evidence
This is a cross-sectional content analysis of social media data. It describes patterns but cannot establish cause-and-effect relationships between legalization and attitudes.
When this study was published
Published in 2015, analyzing 2012-2013 data. Social media platforms and cannabis policies have changed substantially since then.
The bigger picture
This study captures an early snapshot of how cannabis legalization influenced social media discourse. As more states and countries have since legalized cannabis, the normalization of positive marijuana content on social platforms has likely continued to evolve.
Questions still open
- Has the pattern of increasing positive cannabis content on social media continued as more states have legalized? Does exposure to pro-cannabis social media content influence adolescent decisions about marijuana use?
Common questions
Did legalization cause more teens to talk positively about marijuana?
Does tweeting about marijuana mean teens are using it more?
Read the original research
Prevalence of Marijuana-Related Traffic on Twitter, 2012-2013: A Content Analysis.
Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking, 18(6), 311-9
Citation
Thompson, Leah; Rivara, Frederick P; Whitehill, Jennifer M. (2015). Prevalence of Marijuana-Related Traffic on Twitter, 2012-2013: A Content Analysis.. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking, 18(6), 311-9. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2014.0620
Explore the wider topic
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