Online Illicit Drug Distribution in Thailand: Results From an Exploratory Qualitative Content Analysis of X Advertisements. (Preprint)

• DOI: 10.2196/preprints.71703
• Publication Date: 2025-02-10T15:20:07Z
• Authors: Francois Rene Lamy; Seung Chun Paek; Natthani Meemon
• Keywords: Preprint; Content Distribution; Exploratory research

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> The study examines the content of illicit drug advertisements on X (formerly Twitter) in Thailand. Over past decade, social media platforms have been utilized to facilitate online substance trade, leveraging their anonymity, ease access, and user-friendly interfaces. Despite growth use such for distribution, there is a paucity research conducted Thailand that aimed grasp types substances, marketing strategies, public health risks associated with this phenomenon. </sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> Inductively explore tweets advertising drugs Thai language. <title>METHODS</title> Tweets psychoactive substances Language were collected manually between April July 2024. A qualitative analysis was performed tweets. coded based five themes: advertised, delivery methods, number per tweet, location references. Intercoder reliability each theme assessed using Krippendorff’s Alpha, achieving substantial agreement across most codes. <title>RESULTS</title> During data collection period, 3,832 collected. Most (63.3%) mentioned or more depressants like opioids (73.3%), antihistamines (62.5%), benzodiazepines (52.4%) being frequently advertised. Common techniques included direct contact information (74.3%) fast (31.7%). Delivery methods primarily involved courier services, but tend offer multiple options at once. least one sex-performance enhancer (77.7%) advertised combination benzodiazepine. <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> This results suggest presence large sale chatter. digital form trading facilitated by possible messaging services existing Our findings call development real-time monitoring systems harnessing drug-related from inform practitioners about emerging trends address challenges posed trade.