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BACKGROUND Cannabis is the third most consumed drug worldwide, with its use linked to a high number of substance use disorders, particularly among young men. Associated mortality causes include traffic accidents and cardiovascular diseases. The global expansion of cannabis legalization has sparked debates about its impact on risk perception, which has decreased in countries with permissive laws. Social media analysis, such as on X, is a useful tool for studying these perceptions and how they vary by geographic region. OBJECTIVE This study aims to analyze Twitter users' perceptions of cannabis use and legalization, taking into account the geographic location of the tweets. METHODS A mixed-methods approach was used to analyze cannabis-related tweets on Twitter, using keywords such as "cannabis," "marijuana," "hachís," and "hashish." Tweets were collected from January 1, 2018, to April 30, 2022, in English and Spanish, and included those with at least 10 retweets. The content analysis involved an inductive-deductive approach, resulting in the classification of tweets into thematic categories, including discussions on legalization. RESULTS The tweet analysis showed that in America, Europe, and Asia, political discussions about cannabis were the most common topic, while personal testimonies dominated in Oceania and Africa. In all continents, personal experiences with cannabis use were mostly positive, with Oceania recording the highest percentage (60.93%). Regarding legalization, Oceania also led with the highest percentage of tweets in favor (68.13%), followed by America and Africa, while support in Europe and Asia was slightly lower, with about half of the tweets in favor. CONCLUSIONS The analysis of tweets shows that America leads cannabis discussions, with political debates predominating in America, Europe, and Asia, and personal testimonies in Oceania and Africa. In all regions, positive experiences with cannabis outweigh negative ones, especially in Oceania. Legalization decreases risk perception and increases use, as seen in America. Europe reflects a divided debate on legalization. The need to accompany legalization with awareness campaigns on the risks of cannabis is highlighted.
BACKGROUND Cannabis is the third most consumed drug worldwide, with its use linked to a high number of substance use disorders, particularly among young men. Associated mortality causes include traffic accidents and cardiovascular diseases. The global expansion of cannabis legalization has sparked debates about its impact on risk perception, which has decreased in countries with permissive laws. Social media analysis, such as on X, is a useful tool for studying these perceptions and how they vary by geographic region. OBJECTIVE This study aims to analyze Twitter users' perceptions of cannabis use and legalization, taking into account the geographic location of the tweets. METHODS A mixed-methods approach was used to analyze cannabis-related tweets on Twitter, using keywords such as "cannabis," "marijuana," "hachís," and "hashish." Tweets were collected from January 1, 2018, to April 30, 2022, in English and Spanish, and included those with at least 10 retweets. The content analysis involved an inductive-deductive approach, resulting in the classification of tweets into thematic categories, including discussions on legalization. RESULTS The tweet analysis showed that in America, Europe, and Asia, political discussions about cannabis were the most common topic, while personal testimonies dominated in Oceania and Africa. In all continents, personal experiences with cannabis use were mostly positive, with Oceania recording the highest percentage (60.93%). Regarding legalization, Oceania also led with the highest percentage of tweets in favor (68.13%), followed by America and Africa, while support in Europe and Asia was slightly lower, with about half of the tweets in favor. CONCLUSIONS The analysis of tweets shows that America leads cannabis discussions, with political debates predominating in America, Europe, and Asia, and personal testimonies in Oceania and Africa. In all regions, positive experiences with cannabis outweigh negative ones, especially in Oceania. Legalization decreases risk perception and increases use, as seen in America. Europe reflects a divided debate on legalization. The need to accompany legalization with awareness campaigns on the risks of cannabis is highlighted.
BACKGROUND Chronic pain, an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience lasting over six months, affects a large proportion of the global population and significantly impacts health and quality of life. Certain diseases cause chronic pain, resulting in a social and medical misunderstanding that intensity the patient’s emotional suffering. In recent years, the social media platform Twitter, now called “X,” has become a valuable resource for research and discussion on chronic pain, providing an accessible environment for communication and information exchange. OBJECTIVE To analyze content on Twitter related to fibromyalgia, headache, paraplegia, neuropathy, and multiple sclerosis, as well as characterize the profile of users involved in these conversations, identify prevalent topics, measure public perception, evaluate treatment efficacy, and detect discussions related to the most frequent non-medical issues. METHODS 72,874 tweets in English and Spanish containing pre-specified keywords were collected between 2018 and 2022. A manual review was conducted on 2,500 tweets, and the larger subset was classified by machine learning methods. Subsequently, tweets related to chronic pain conditions were analyzed to examine their medical and non-medical content, types of X users, the origin of the disease, and the efficacy of treatments. RESULTS Of the total tweets collected, 55,451 (76,1%) were classifiable. The most active users were healthcare professionals and institutions. The primary perceived etiology was pharmacological, and higher treatment efficacy was noted in neuropathy, paraplegia, and multiple sclerosis. Regarding non-medical content, there were more tweets related to the definition and understanding of the disease. CONCLUSIONS Social media platforms, such as X, are playing a crucial role in the dissemination of information on chronic pain. Discussions largely focus on the available treatments and the need to enhance public education, utilizing these platforms to correct misconceptions and provide better support to patients.
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