Technoconservatism, scientific denialism, and moral panic: health communication, disinformation on medicinal cannabis, and the right to health in Brazil

Objective: This study analysed the relationship between technoconservative discourses, scientific denialism, and moral panic surrounding the medicinal use of cannabis, assessing how such narratives interfered with the right to health and the formulation of public policies in Brazil. Methods: A qualitative, ethnographically oriented approach was adopted, combining cybercartography and documentary analysis. The study mapped actors, networks, and discourses disseminated across digital platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, and others, between 2019 and 2024, focusing on content related to medicinal cannabis and produced by self-declared conservative and/or bolsonarist groups and social actors. In addition to social media content, the research conducted an in-depth analysis of the government booklet “The Risks of Marijuana Use and Its Legalization”, as well as historical and regulatory documents on drug policy and public health. Results: The mapping revealed that technoconservative influencers, supported by state agents and ideologically aligned publishing houses, amplified alarmist content linking cannabis to criminality, moral decay, and unrestricted health risks. The government booklet reinforced this framing by omitting clinical findings on the therapeutic efficacy of cannabidiol and by resorting to religious metaphors and sensationalist imagery. A temporal correlation was observed between peaks of engagement with these posts and the weakening of legislative debates on medicinal cannabis regulation. Conclusion: The convergence of algorithmic governmentality and moralising discourses hindered the circulation of scientific evidence, legitimised punitive policies, and restricted patients’ rights to cannabis-based treatments. Submitted: 02/25/25| Revision: 04/17/25| Approved: 04/22/25