Examination of YouTube videos related to synthetic cannabinoids
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M. Dottington Fullwood
,
Aleksandar Kecojevic
Abstract
The popularity of synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs) is increasing the chance for adverse health issues in the United States. Moreover, social media platforms such as YouTube that provided a platform for user-generated content can convey misinformation or glorify use of SCBs. The aim of this study was to fill this gap by describing the content of the most popular YouTube videos containing content related to the SCBs. Videos with at least 1000 or more views found under the search terms “K2” and “spice” included in the analysis. The collective number of views was over 7.5 million. Nearly half of videos were consumer produced (n=42). The most common content in the videos was description of K2 (n=69), followed by mentioning dangers of using K2 (n=47), mentioning side effects (n=38) and showing a person using K2 (n=37). One-third of videos (n=34) promoted use of K2, while 22 videos mentioned risk of dying as a consequence of using K2. YouTube could be used as a surveillance tool to combat this epidemic, but instead, the most widely videos related to SCBs are uploaded by consumers. The content of these consumer videos on YouTube often provide the viewer with access to view a wide array of uploaders describing, encouraging, participating and promoting use.
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©2018 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Editorial
- Tribute to a giant: Emanuel Chigier, MD, 1928–2017
- Original Articles
- Sustainability of the results of a non communicable diseases prevention program among youth in the region of Sousse, Tunisia
- Factors that promote and impede other-sex friendships: a qualitative study of Iranian adolescent girls
- Effectiveness of online versus live multi-family psychoeducation group therapy for children and adolescents with mood or anxiety disorders: a pilot study
- A pilot study of depression, stigma, and attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help among Arab adolescents
- Caffeine consumption patterns and determinants among adolescents in Serbia
- More like him, me, or us: the impact of trait similarity on adolescent women’s sexual risk behaviors in relationships
- Prevalence of physical inactivity and its association on oral conditions in adolescents
- Barriers to adolescent contraception use and adherence
- Eating attitudes and its relationship with nutritional status: a micro level study on a group of adolescent girls in the city of Howrah, West Bengal
- Prevalence of communication between mothers and daughters on sexuality and associated factors in Sagamu, southwest Nigeria
- Case Report
- An unusually long electric wire in a urethra and bladder
- Short Communications
- Examination of YouTube videos related to synthetic cannabinoids
- A cross-sectional study to assess awareness about menstruation in adolescent girls of an urban slum in western Maharashtra
