Human values and marijuana use

Reasons for Drug Use among American Youth by Consumption Level, Gender, and Race/Ethnicity: 1976-2005

This study examined self-reported reasons for the use of nine substances among nationally representative samples of US high school seniors participating in the Monitoring the Future study from 1976 through 2005. In general, social/recreational reasons were the most commonly reported reasons for the use of most drugs. However, for psychotherapeutic drugs, coping with negative affect and physical needs reasons were most commonly mentioned. Results indicated that the proportion of students reporting various reasons has shifted significantly over time. Further, we found significant differences by gender and race/ethnicity in reported reasons for use. Prevention and intervention efforts must address the facts that (1) while social usage reasons do predominate, it is essential to consider coping and drug-effect reasons for use as well; and (2) there are appreciable differences by gender and race/ethnicity in reasons for drug use.

Saying no to marijuana: why American youth report quitting or abstaining

OBJECTIVE

This article aims to contribute to the literature by reporting on a nationally representative study of U.S. youths regarding their self-reported reasons for abstaining from or quitting marijuana use and the relationships between such reasons and individual sociodemographic characteristics of gender and race/ethnicity.

METHOD

This article uses data from in-school surveys obtained from nationally representative cross-sectional samples of U.S. high school seniors from 1977 to 2005 (N = 82,106).

RESULTS

Results indicate the following: (1) 50% of those reporting past-12-month marijuana use felt they should either stop or reduce their use; (2) among those saying they would not use marijuana in the coming year, the most frequently reported reasons cited were psychological and physical damage and not wanting to get high (reported by more than 60%), whereas the least frequently reported reasons included expense, concerns of having a bad trip, and availability (reported by fewer than 25%); and (3) clear differences existed in reported reasons by gender and race/ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant percentage of U.S. high school seniors who are recent marijuana users wish to either reduce or stop their marijuana use and are basing such desires on a wide variety of reasons that show significant gender and racial/ethnic variation. Marijuana prevention and cessation policy and programming could potentially be strengthened by incorporating the findings from these analyses.

Adolescents, Doping Agents, and Drug Use: A Community Study

Use of doping agents among Norwegian adolescents was investigated, with special emphasis on the association between doping agent use and use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs. The sample consisted of all 14 to 17 year olds in the public and private school systems in Oslo. The response rate was 94.3 % (n = 10,828). Two and three-tenths percent of the boys and 1.3% of the girls reported a life-time ever use of doping agents. Use of doping agents did not vary according to socio-demographic variables, living area in the city, or ethnic background. Multivariate analyses showed that there was an association between doping agent use and family factors (parental alcohol exposure and poor monitoring). Doping agent users often used commercial gymnasiums; they also reported use of smokeless tobacco and high levels of alcohol problems. The associations between doping agent use and use of amphetamines, MDMA, and heroin were particularly strong. Surprisingly, the association between doping agent use and use of cannabis only was negative. In particular, the link to the use of heroin should be noted, as this may imply needle sharing and the spread of hepatitis and HIV.

Are "traditional" sex differences less conspicuous in young cannabis users than in other young people?

Recent research has revealed conspicuously few distinctions between young males and females who use cannabis. Such findings may reflect the general slackening of the sex-role pattern in the younger generations. Alternatively, they may reflect distinctive characteristics of the cannabis culture. Using data from a nationwide representative sample (n = 1,478) of young Norwegians (21-24 years old), this study explores whether "traditional" sex differences in respect to mental health and alcohol use are less conspicuous among users than among nonusers of cannabis. The respondents' sex-role-related values and preferences were also studied. Results indicate that the sex differences in mental health did not vary between users and nonusers of cannabis; however, female cannabis users were disproportionately young when they experienced their first intoxication by alcohol. Their level of drinking was also disproportionately high. This implied that the sex difference in alcohol use was smaller among users than among nonusers: male users of cannabis consumed 2.8 times more alcohol than their female counterparts, whereas the corresponding male to female ratio was 3:2 in the nonusers. The extensive use of alcohol in female cannabis users did not reflect mental health problems or a rejection of traditional sex-role characteristics. Cannabis-using males were less typically masculine in their values and preferences than other males, but not more feminine. The measures for sex-role-related preferences did not discriminate between female users and female nonusers of cannabis.