Marijuana Use, Motives, and Change Intentions in Adolescents

Abstract

Research typically focuses on motives to use or abstain from marijuana (MJ) in isolation; few studies have integrated both constructs in models of MJ use decision making. We expand the existing literature by integrating these motives in cognitive models of use and cessation in adolescents. We expected use motives to account for past use and intentions for future use, and for motives to abstain to dominate models explaining intention, desire, and self-efficacy for quitting. Adolescent MJ users (N = 162) reported their use and abstinence motives as well as their use and cessation behavior via online survey conducted in high schools. Past use was related to high conformity and low coping, while past cessation attempts were related to high enhancement motives. Intentions to use were related to low negative consequences and conformity, and high enhancement and expansion motives to use. Quitting intention was related to social motives to use, as was quitting self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was also related to high personal/peer beliefs motives to abstain. While past MJ use and intended future use were almost exclusively accounted for by use motives, both motives to use and abstain impacted self-reported cognitions associated with cessation in this sample of adolescent MJ users.

The impact of university sanctions on cannabis use: Individual difference factors that predict change in cannabis use.

“…Contrary to expectation, enhancement and expansion motives (but not coping motives) were related to post-infraction use. This is consistent with prior work finding enhancement and expansion (but not coping) motives were positively related to intention to use cannabis among adolescents (Dash & Anderson, 2015). Taken together, these data suggest that enhancement and expansion motives may play important roles in continued cannabis use, especially following university sanctions.…”

“Is Marijuana Even a Drug?” A Qualitative Study of How Teens View Marijuana Use and Why They Use It

“…For example, one study of adolescents found that common motives for marijuana use included wanting to have a good time with friends, boredom, a desire to relax, and seeking insight (Patrick et al 2011). Another study found that adolescent marijuana users reported using because they wanted to fit in with a social group, avoid social rejection, relieve pain, and reduce stress (Dash & Anderson 2015). Furthermore, teens have been found to use marijuana in order to facilitate group interactions (Anderson; Sitney & White 2015).…”

Ceremonial ‘Plant Medicine’ use and its relationship to recreational drug use: an exploratory study

“…The demographics and motives for use among plant medicine users in these studies stand in contrast to some national studies of recreational drug use which suggest that people who use illegal drugs in the US are more likely to be in their teens and 20s, racial/ethnic minorities, have lower educational attainment than non-drug users (Samhsa, 2013). Likewise, drug use is generally hypothesized to be motivated by the desire for euphoria/mood alteration, enhanced sexuality and physical performance, social facilitation, social conformity/peer pressure, boredom, habit, and self-insight (Dash, 2015; Nicholson et al, 2002; Riley & Blackman, 2009; Solowji et al, 1992; Ter Bogt et al, 2005). Ray and Ksir summarized the main motivators for illegal drug use as pain reduction and pleasure enhancement (1993), a finding not supported by this study.…”