281285
Motives for marijuana use and problems among young adults
Sandy Wilson, MPH,
Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
Paula Vincent, PhD,
Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
Maribeth Insana, MPH,
Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
R. Lorraine Collins, PhD,
Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
Deborah Saltino,
Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
Marijuana (MJ) is the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S. The percentage of young adult MJ users has increased from 16.6% (2008) to 19.0% (2011). Understanding the relationship between MJ motives, use, and problems is necessary for effective secondary prevention. Participants were 106 young adult (ages 18-25) regular MJ users (37% female; 41% minority), with no history of substance use treatment or problems, recruited through newspaper ads and flyers. We used the Comprehensive Marijuana Motives Questionnaire to assess reasons MJ use, the Timeline Followback calendar to assess past 30-day quantity and frequency (Q+F) of MJ use, and the Marijuana Problems Index (MPI) to assess MJ problems. Participants were frequent MJ users: M = 23.81 (SD = 5.84) MJ use days/past month. They cited enjoyment, celebration, relative low risk, and boredom as their top reasons for MJ use. We predicted that key MJ motives (e.g., coping) would be related to MJ problems, above and beyond current MJ use. We ran hierarchical regressions, entering demographics at Step 1, past 30-day Q+F of MJ at Step 2, and 5 MJ motives at Step 3. After the covariates, coping (ß = .25, p < .05), alcohol (e.g., ß = .28, p < .01), and social anxiety (ß = .23, p < .05) motives were uniquely related to MJ problems. With increasing acceptance of MJ use and its recent legalization, it is important for public health practitioners to identify motives for MJ use to help inform development of effective prevention and intervention programs.
Learning Areas:
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
List motives for marijuana use in regular (3x/week) marijuana users.
Identify motives uniquely related to marijuana problems.
Keyword(s): Marijuana
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I've spent the past 12 years working on multiple federally funded grants, focusing on the etiology of alcohol and drug abuse. I am also in my final semester of an MPH program with a focus on community health and health behaviors. My interests lie in gaining knowledge to be utilized for primary and secondary prevention program development.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
