Abstract
Introduction:
Despite prohibitions against youth-appealing packages, deceptive “copycat” cannabis edible packages have been commonly seen in U.S. states that legalized recreational cannabis. Copycat packages mimic the branding features of popular food products, posing a high risk for accidental ingestion, particularly for the younger population.
Materials and Methods:
An online experiment was conducted among a representative sample of young adults aged 18–29 (N = 2,523). Participants were asked in timed trials to identify whether each package in a series of images contained cannabis content. Regression analysis was conducted to analyze the association between package type and correct identification and the association between correct identification and appeal ratings.
Results:
Copycat cannabis packages were associated with lower odds of correct identification of cannabis content (odds ratio = 0.35, 95% CI = [0.31, 0.40]) compared with the non-copycat branded cannabis package. Correct identification of cannabis content was associated with lower appeal ratings (odds ratio = 0.75, 95% CI = [0.69, 0.81]).
Discussion:
Copycat cannabis packages were associated with elevated risk of misidentification of cannabis content, making them a public health risk for accidental ingestion. Package features that make a package easily identifiable were less appealing, underscoring the need of requiring salient features to indicate cannabis content on cannabis packages.
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Supplementary Material
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