Cannabis Dispensary Staff (“Budtender”) Perspectives on Trustworthiness of Social Media Information: A Qualitative Study

Abstract Objective: Scientific and medical sources continue to be outpaced by the burgeoning cannabis marketplace regarding emerging forms of cannabis, leaving consumers with a great deal of uncertainty about safety and efficacy that may be addressed in cannabis dispensary and online settings. The present study examines how cannabis dispensary staff (“budtenders”) use and evaluate the trustworthiness of online information about cannabis, especially social media content. Method: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with San Francisco Bay Area budtenders (n = 18)