Before and After Prohibition: Parental Communication and Modeling Associated With Emerging Adult Recreational Marijuana Attitudes and Use

Abstract

Researchers have begun examining changes in recreational marijuana use among emerging adults (EAs), however, no studies have examined the influence of parents on EA children’s marijuana use due to legalization. We sought to address this gap by using a 2019 cross-sectional online survey of 404 EA students (18–25 years; M = 20.7, SD = 1.9) about their behavioral observations and conversations with parents regarding recreational marijuana legalization in a western U.S. state. Significant increases in reports of parent communication and observed use, as well as EA attitudes and use were found post-legalization. Evaluation of two structural equation models (with configural invariance versus construct-level metric invariance) suggest that the more constrained model did not fit worse and that the relationships between parent communication and modeling are significantly related to EA attitudes and use pre- and post-legalization. Results indicate that parental socialization plays an important role in recreational marijuana attitudes and use among EA children.

Parental openness and communication regarding cannabis and alcohol use with their children

“…Additionally, in this study—and others 4–8 —cannabis and alcohol users (vs. nonusers) were more open about cannabis and alcohol, respectively 4–8 . We also found that parents in legalized nonmedical cannabis states reported greater communication about cannabis versus alcohol, which aligns with prior findings that parental communication regarding cannabis increases after cannabis legalization 15–17 . As such legislation expands, there may be key opportunities to examine parental communication with children regarding cannabis that may inform intervention strategies in other contexts.…”

“…T A B L E 3 Linear regression models examining correlates of parental perceptions and communication regarding marijuana and alcohol use, N = 197. versus alcohol, which aligns with prior findings that parental communication regarding cannabis increases after cannabis legalization. [15][16][17] As such legislation expands, there may be key opportunities to examine parental communication with children regarding cannabis that may inform intervention strategies in other contexts.…”

“…14 Limited research has examined cannabis-specific parental communication as the policy context has evolved. Some research has documented that parental communication regarding cannabis use with adolescents 15,16 and young adults 17 increases after cannabis legalization. Qualitative research has indicated that, although most parents disapprove of youth cannabis use and set rules about use, many are concerned about how to effectively communicate about cannabis (e.g., risks, consequences, parents' own use) and express the need for resources (e.g., via school-or community-based programs) to help them more effectively communicate with their children about cannabis within this relatively new policy context.…”