Perceived risk of harm from monthly cannabis use among US adolescents: National Survey on drug Use and Health, 2017

Abstract

There has been a steady increase in cannabis use among US adolescents over the past decade. Perceptions of risk, specifically the belief that cannabis use is not harmful, may contribute to this increased use. The purpose of this study was to evaluate parental, school, and peer influence as protective factors in perceiving there is risk of harm from monthly cannabis use. Using the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the study outcome was self-reported perceived risk of harm from monthly cannabis use amongst adolescents between ages 12 and 17. The exposures were parental monitoring and support, perception of school importance, extracurricular activity participation, peer attitudes towards cannabis use, and perception of peer cannabis use. Of 12,024 eligible adolescents, about 80% reported perceived risk of harm from monthly cannabis use. Multiple logistic regression models suggest the perception of risk of harm from monthly cannabis use was significantly associated with perception of peers using cannabis, perception of peers’ disapproval of cannabis use, perception of school importance, and participation in extracurricular activities. Adolescents who perceived that monthly cannabis use was risky had high parental monitoring, low perception of peer use, high perception of peers’ disapproval of cannabis use, high perception of school importance, and participated more in extracurricular activities. These findings suggest substance use prevention programs targeting adolescent attitudes and beliefs would benefit from leveraging peer influence, promoting extracurricular activities, and enhancing schoolwork to be more meaningful.

Seeing is believing: How cannabis marketing exposure is associated with cannabis use attitudes and behavior in a permissive medical cannabis policy environment

“…This latter finding is particularly alarming, as studies consistently cite a link between lower cannabis harm perceptions and greater likelihood of problematic cannabis use. 28 Finally, exposure to print marketing was negatively associated with positive attitudes about cannabis and lower perceptions harm. In our sample, multivariable regression models showed that print marketing exposure was most common among mid-life adults (ages 25-44), who may have less positive attitudes about cannabis use overall, and who also have lower rates of internet and social media use compared to young adults.…”

“…In regression models that simultaneously controlled for the potential overlap among all CME sources, those exposed to outdoor marketing and social media marketing reported more positive attitudes about cannabis use and were more likely to report past 30‐day cannabis use and lower cannabis harm perceptions. This latter finding is particularly alarming, as studies consistently cite a link between lower cannabis harm perceptions and greater likelihood of problematic cannabis use 28 . Finally, exposure to print marketing was negatively associated with positive attitudes about cannabis and lower perceptions harm.…”

Perceptions of Peer and Parental Attitudes toward Substance use and Actual Adolescent Substance Use: The Impact of Adolescent-Confidant Relationships

“…Similar questions were posed to respondents regarding peer behaviors ("How do you think your close friends would feel about you smoking one or more packs of cigarettes a day?"). The parental disapproval variable (yes vs. no) and the peer disapproval variable (yes vs. no) were dichotomized from these survey questions as per previous research, 28 in which any degree of perceived disapproval (somewhat disapprove and strongly disapprove) was classified as "yes" and responding neither approve nor disapprove was categorized as "no." Missing responses (N ¼ 1,584, 2.9%) were excluded from analysis.…”

Marijuana use in children: An update focusing on pediatric tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol use

“…High parental monitoring and negative peer attitudes toward cannabis use act as protective factors against cannabis use. In a study by Mariani et al, 67 those children who perceived that their peers disapproved of cannabis use, believed that cannabis use was risky, and that school was important were less likely to use. Active involvement in extracurricular activities was also protective.…”