#natural, #vegan, #healing: A Content Analysis of Health Content Among Instagram Posts Focused on Cannabis Edibles

Despite limited scientific evidence, public perceptions of cannabis as health enhancing are significant. As food products, cannabis edibles (edibles), may also leverage food-related associations that convey health. Social media is a prominent and influential source of largely unregulated cannabis information and a potential place to correct misinformation. Given its potential to shape product appeal and perceptions of health benefits and risks, understanding the social media landscape around edibles and health is a priority. We conducted a quantitative content analysis of a random sample of #edibles Instagram posts (N = 702) published in January 2020. A structured coding instrument analyzed posts for: (1) non-food related health, medicine, and wellness content (2) food-related characteristics/associations suggesting edibles are healthy foods or appropriate for particular diets. The majority of posts (61%) featured non-food related health, medicine, or wellness content. 35% of posts noted a general health or wellness issue or benefit, while 9% highlighted a medical condition, clinical diagnosis or attendant benefit; a wide range of wellness, health, and clinical issues were cited. Nearly half of all posts (45%) alluded to medicine or being medicated, while 22% referenced medical marijuana specifically. Connections to health were also made through food-related associations, with 13% of posts citing a dietary need or nutrient claim and 10% highlighting food-related characteristics that imply product healthfulness. Health-related content is widespread among #edibles Instagram posts. Communication approaches to counter unsubstantiated health claims and regulatory strategies limiting commercial promotion should be considered. Explicit connections between edibles and health and more implicit associations via hashtags and images warrant particular attention.

尽管相关科学证据有限，但公众认为大麻具有健康增益功效的认知却颇为普遍。作为食品类产品，大麻可食用制品（cannabis edibles，下称食用制品）还可借助与食品相关的联想传递健康属性。社交媒体是传播大麻相关信息的主要且极具影响力的渠道，且该领域大多处于未受充分监管的状态，同时也是纠正错误信息的潜在场景。鉴于社交媒体能够影响产品吸引力以及公众对健康效益与风险的认知，了解围绕食用制品与健康的社交媒体生态已成为一项重点研究议题。本研究针对2020年1月发布的随机抽样#edibles（#食用制品）Instagram帖文（样本量N=702）开展了定量内容分析。研究采用结构化编码工具对帖文进行编码分析，具体分析维度包括：(1) 非食品相关的健康、医药及养生类内容；(2) 暗示食用制品属于健康食品或适配特定膳食的食品相关特征与联想。多数帖文（61%）包含非食品相关的健康、医药或养生类内容。其中35%的帖文提及一般性健康或养生相关问题与功效，另有9%的帖文聚焦疾病状况、临床诊断或相关获益；研究涉及的养生、健康及临床议题类型广泛。近半数帖文（45%）间接提及医药用途或用药行为，其中22%专门提及医用大麻。研究还发现，部分帖文通过食品相关联想关联健康属性：13%的帖文提及膳食需求或营养宣称，10%的帖文强调能够暗示产品健康属性的食品相关特征。与健康相关的内容在#edibles Instagram帖文中极为普遍。因此，有必要研究用以驳斥无实证依据的健康宣称的传播策略，以及限制商业推广的监管方案。食用制品与健康之间的显性关联，以及通过话题标签与图片传递的隐性联想，均值得重点关注。