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Global Influence of Cannabis Legalization on Social Media Discourse: Mixed Methods Study
Consuelo Castillo-Toledo1,2, Carolina Donat-Vargas3,4, María Montero-Torres1
1Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcala, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
JMIR Infodemiology
|September 29, 2025
Summary
Social media analysis reveals that positive personal experiences and support for cannabis legalization are prevalent globally, particularly in Oceania. This suggests a potential underestimation of associated health risks in public discussions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Social Science
- Digital Epidemiology
Background:
- Cannabis is a widely consumed drug globally, linked to substance use disorders and mortality from accidents and cardiovascular issues.
- The expansion of cannabis legalization correlates with decreased risk perception, especially in regions with permissive laws.
- Social media platforms like Twitter (X) offer valuable insights into public perception of cannabis use and legalization across different geographic areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze global perceptions of cannabis use and legalization by examining Twitter (X) user data.
- To investigate the geographic variations in these perceptions.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods approach was employed to analyze cannabis-related tweets (keywords: cannabis, marijuana, hashish) from January 2018 to April 2022.
- Tweets in English and Spanish with at least 10 retweets were included.
- Content analysis utilized an inductive-deductive approach to categorize discussions, including those on legalization.
Main Results:
- Political discussions dominated tweets in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, while personal testimonies were most common in Oceania and Africa.
- Personal experiences with cannabis were predominantly positive across all continents, with Oceania showing the highest percentage (60.93%).
- Oceania also showed the highest support for legalization (68.13%), followed by the Americas and Africa, with Europe and Asia showing moderate support.
Conclusions:
- The prevalence of political debate on cannabis reflects ongoing legislative discussions worldwide.
- Widespread positive personal accounts and support for legalization suggest a public underestimation of cannabis-related health risks.
- Geographic variations in discussion topics and legalization support highlight the need for region-specific public health strategies.
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