Searching the Internet for drug-related web sites: analysis of online available information on ecstasy (MDMA).
Paolo Deluca, Fabrizio Schifano
American Journal on Addictions 2007 DOI: 10.1080/10550490701641181 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Content analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 280 |
| Population | Websites providing information on MDMA/ecstasy |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key points | Of 280 analyzed ecstasy-related websites, 50.4% were anti-drug, 16.2% harm reduction, and 24.8% pro-drug. Pro-drug sites ranked significantly earlier in search engine results than anti-drug and harm reduction sites, suggesting users may encounter pro-drug content first. |
Abstract
Although the Internet is a growing source of information on MDMA/ecstasy, no studies so far have investigated the level and quality of ecstasy information available to the typical Web user. In the present study, 280 Web sites were identified and analyzed; 50.4% had an anti-drug approach, 16.2% a harm reduction approach, and 24.8% a pro-drug approach. MDMA pro-drug Web sites appeared significantly earlier in the search engines' results list than both anti-drug and harm reduction Web sites (F (3; 159) = 3.288; p = .022). This study represents the first systematic analysis of information available online on ecstasy. Implications for further research are discussed.
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