In recent years, misinformation has spread like wildfire in the US and around the world. False facts have scorned the development of conspiracy theories and raised significant public health concerns. Examples of this include downplaying the very significant and real threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the persistence of the myth that vaccines cause autism. The adoption of social media into daily life has accelerated the development and dissemination of this harmful information.
Cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) have also suffered from misinformation, but this is not breaking news. Government agencies, politicians and private organizations have already waged a war against the plant as part of the “Reefer Madness” campaign, which aims to get people to avoid cannabis use. Negative stigma and criminalization have severely hampered scientific research and discouraged patients from accessing drugs that can vastly improve their lives.
While research has advanced in recent years, the majority of these studies have focused on the negative effects of cannabis use. The media reaches for these results and often misreports the results in order to adapt them to the classic stigma.
So if you are looking for legitimate information about CBD and cannabis, you need to learn how to verify facts.
You may know the term as it refers to the confirmation of claims made by politicians, especially during election season. However, fact-checking is an important process that should be done regularly while reading the messages – especially before sharing information that you believe is correct.
First of all, it is important to assess the trustworthiness of the information source. If it’s published on a website you’ve never heard of or known to publish inaccurate information, you should look forward to another website with the story.
Second, when the author references a scientific study in an article, is he presenting a balanced view of the results? Or is there bias in the narrative? A good place to look is the headline. If it appears flammable, the article is likely not a balanced source of information.
As you read the article, look for references to support the author’s claims. Are there footnotes with corresponding references at the end of the page? Are there links embedded in the article that can lead you to original sources such as studies, rather than to other articles on the same website? In the absence of references, you can assume that this information is based solely on the author’s opinion or on the interpretation of the information, and not based on fact.
Finally, when you find references or embedded links to legitimate resources, take the time to read them yourself. Make sure that the summary of the information and the author’s conclusions are actually based on fact.
In an increasingly polarized world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction. However, when it comes to your health, you need to check facts every day to make sure the information you are receiving and sharing is completely factual in nature.
Here are some helpful resources you can use to learn more about fact-checking:
Credit: Andrea Piacquadio
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