Youth Appeal of Hemp-derived Intoxicating Cannabis Product Marketing on Social Media

About This Grant

PROJECT SUMMARY Hemp-derived intoxicating cannabis products (DICPs), such as Delta-8 THC, THC-A, and THC-P, have rapidly expanded in the U.S. market following the 2018 Farm Bill. Unlike traditional cannabis, DICPs are often sold in unregulated retail settings, making them widely accessible to youth. Despite their recent introduction, DICPs like Delta-8 THC have already achieved substantial levels of youth use. DICP use can pose significant health risks to youth, including intoxication-related accidents, mental health concerns, and cannabis dependence. The growing concern over accidental ingestion and overdose among minors also highlights the urgent need for actions to reduce youth use. While the public health risks of DICP use among youth are increasingly evident, the marketing practices of DICP brands remain largely unexamined. Historically, youth have been highly vulnerable to targeted marketing by tobacco and alcohol industries, which has played a critical role in generating their positive attitudes and intentions toward using these products. DICP brand marketing on social media may further amplify youth’s DICP use interest by leveraging highly engaging visual and interactive features and youth- oriented cultural references. As part of our ongoing research, we identified extensive DICP marketing on youth- popular social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube), characterized by frequent use of vibrant colors, dessert and fruit imagery, cartoon and anime characters, and pop culture references—marketing features well-documented to attract youth and increase product appeal. No research, however, has systematically examined the youth appeal of DICP social media marketing from leading DICP brands. In the absence of concrete evidence on the extent and tactics by which the DICP industry employs youth-appealing marketing on social media, and its behavioral influence among youth, protective policies will remain reactive and vulnerable to legal challenges. Generating this evidence is therefore critical not only to inform and strengthen policy development but also to support and defend existing regulations against industry opposition. To address this, the proposed project will systematically identify and assess youth-appealing marketing features in social media by leading DICP brands over two years (Aim 1) and examine the associations between the presence of youth- appealing marketing features and DICP use intentions and positive marketing engagement among youth (Aim 2). Our multidisciplinary team of accomplished investigators, with demonstrated expertise in relevant domains, is well-positioned to implement the proposed research, ensuring a high degree of scientific rigor and feasibility. Findings from this project will inform actionable, policy-focused strategies to curb youth-appealing social media marketing by leading DICP brands, enhance regulatory oversight of the industry’s marketing practices, and guide social media platforms in limiting youth exposure to DICP marketing content. The proposed project will establish a foundation for ongoing surveillance of DICP marketing on social media and support a sustained research program examining its behavioral impacts on youth.