As Above, So Below? A Qualitative Content Analysis of Reddit and Dread User Opinions of Illicit Substance

Online forums are key venues for illicit drug discourse, yet discussions vary across platforms. This study compares drug discourse on Reddit and the Dark Web forum Dread, examining how users frame heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and MDMA. Analyzing 80 discussion threads and 359 comments posted between 2020 and 2025, findings show Reddit users frame drug use through moral evaluation and cautionary narratives emphasizing addiction and risk, while Dread users normalize drug use, focusing on vendor reputation and product quality. Both communities converged only around MDMA. Results suggest platform anonymity, audience composition, and communicative norms significantly shape online drug discourse.