Examining effects of medical cannabis narratives on beliefs, attitudes, and intentions related to recreational cannabis: A web-based randomized experiment

This experimental study tests effects of exposure to video narratives about successful symptom relief with Medical Cannabis(MC) on attitudes, beliefs, and intentions related to recreational cannabis use. These results suggest that narrative news media coverage of MC may influence public attitudes toward recreational cannabis. Because such media stories continue to be commonplace, it is important to examine potential spillover effects of this coverage on public perceptions of recreational cannabis. Cannabis prevention programs should address the role of media coverage in shaping public opinion and address the distinction between medical and recreational cannabis use.