Accuracy of Medical Marijuana Claims Made by Popular Websites

Abstract

Background With increasing popularity of marijuana, consumers are likely turning to the internet for information regarding medical marijuana. Accuracy of medical marijuana claims is a significant concern because consumers change their medication management based on information from a single website. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and quality of medical marijuana claims on popular websites. Methods : Commonly used websites containing claims regarding medical marijuana were selected by utilizing three online marketing tools that rank websites based on number of views, number of visitors, and visitor engagement. Once the top ten most popular websites were selected, medical claims regarding marijuana were reviewed for accuracy and quality using evidence-based tools. Results Seventy-six percent of claims made by websites were inaccurate and were based on low-quality evidence. Of the medical marijuana claims reviewed, 10% of websites made appropriate cause and effect conclusions. Furthermore, approximately 3% of the medical marijuana claims were written by a healthcare professional. Conclusion The findings show there is misleading and inaccurate information readily available to consumers online.