Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40570938›Full record

ArticlePreventive medicine2025

A content analysis of cannabis edible product characteristics, packaging features, and online promotions.

Bing Han, Yuyan Shi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Preventive medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Bing HanHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Yuyan ShiHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. Electronic address: yus001@ucsd.edu.

Funding

Using Behavioral Economics Approach to Examine Individual Preferences for Marijuana ProductsR01DA049730 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI SHI, YUYAN · 2020 to 2024
$3.5M
NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA049730NIDA NIH HHS R01DA049730
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAs legal cannabis markets expand in the United States, edibles have become increasingly popular, particularly among youth. This study aimed to assess cannabis edible product characteristics, packaging features, and online promotions that may be appealing or misleading to consumers.

methodsDuring November 2023 and August 2024, we identified active online cannabis dispensaries in the United States from the National Cannabis Industry Association's member directory and conducted a content analysis of 2282 cannabis edible products to assess front-of-package information on product characteristics, child-oriented features, health and non-health claims, warnings, as well as online promotional strategies.

resultsOver half of the products were gummies, and more than 80 % contained at least 100 mg of total tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Few packages included individual packaging or serving size information. Child-appealing elements were prevalent: over 20 % of products displayed animated or human-like characters, nearly all products were flavored with fruit flavor being the most common, and more than half featured packaging with four or more colors. Non-health claims appeared on 27.7 % of products, cannabis-infused labels on 48.1 %, and underage use warnings on 16.4 %. Product-specific promotions were present for 77.0 % of products, and nearly all had storewide promotions.

conclusionsCannabis companies frequently utilized marketing strategies that may make edibles appealing or misleading to consumers, particularly youth. Further research understanding how these marketing strategies influence consumer perceptions and appeal is needed to inform regulations on cannabis packaging and promotion.

Indexed as

CannabisInternetMarketingProduct PackagingDronabinolFood PackagingHumansUnited StatesDronabinolcannabis ediblesContent analysisMarketingPackagingPromotion

Identifiers

PMID40570938
PMCPMC13502953

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.