@article{ref1,
title="A content analysis of social media discussions on THC-O-acetate",
journal="Cannabis (Research Society on Marijuana)",
year="2023",
author="Kruger, Daniel J. and Amila, Karahmet and Kaplan, Sydney M. and Redfield, John and Stacy, Taylor and Agarwal, Vitush and Faqqouseh, Mutaz and Bone, Carlton CB",
volume="6",
number="2",
pages="13-21",
abstract="Novel cannabinoids require systematic research to inform policies and practices. There is a growing interest in semi-synthetic cannabinoids by consumers, manufacturers, and regulators. However, there is a scarcity of research on these substances. Online discussion forums can provide guidance for research questions when current knowledge is scarce. The current project investigates the topics and issues covered in a social media forum devoted to THC-O-acetate (THCO), a semi-synthetic cannabinoid with rapidly rising popularity. Reddit comments posted on the THCO subreddit from June 2021 through November 2021 were coded for major and minor themes by a team of five coders and a supervisor. Major themes were established and clarified through group discussions. A second round of coding confirmed major themes and identified minor themes. The analysis identified several future research topics for THC-O-acetate, including the extent of variation in product composition, the characteristics of user experiences and comparisons with other substances, whether THC-O-acetate produces psychedelic effects, concerns and adverse experiences, and user harm reduction practices. As an acetate ester, THC-O-acetate may break down when heated and release toxic ketene gas. Although several users expressed safety concerns regarding THC-O-acetate, some explicitly mentioning ketene risk, the most common administration method reported was heated inhalation.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2578-0026",
doi="10.26828/cannabis/2023/000164",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.26828/cannabis/2023/000164"
}