Rolling through TikTok: MDMA-related content a mixed bag

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-03-15 03:00

New Zealand; International

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New research from the University of Otago unveils the scope and nature of MDMA-related content on TikTok. Of almost 500 videos, which had an average of 28,900 views, approximately 82% used humour or jokes about MDMA, and 30% depicted people who had taken the drug. About 20% mentioned direct and indirect negative consequences of consumption, such as ‘comedowns’, jaw pain, tiredness, and accidental consumption of other drugs, but less than 2% of the videos were specifically about harm reduction or MDMA safety. Authors of the study say that bans on hashtags like #MDMA and #ecstasy do little to reduce the amount of MDMA-related content on the platform, and that better monitoring of content and promotion of harm reduction videos are needed to minimise harm.