Abstract
In this article, we use data from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to examine the association between religious involvement and marijuana use for medical and recreational purposes in U.S. adults (N = 41,517). We also consider whether the association between religious involvement and marijuana use varies according to personal health status. Our results show that adults who attend religious services more frequently and hold more salient religious beliefs tend to exhibit lower rates of medical and recreational marijuana use. We also find that these “protective effects” are less pronounced for adults in poor health. Although our findings confirm previous studies of recreational marijuana use, we are the first to examine the association between religious involvement and medical marijuana use. Our moderation analyses suggest that the morality and social control functions of religious involvement may be offset under the conditions of poor health.
Highlights
Marijuana use for medical and recreational purposes is on the rise (Carliner et al, 2017; Caulkins, Kilmer, Reuter, & Midgette, 2015; Fairman, 2016; Han et al, 2017; Hasin et al, 2015)
The inverse association between religious involvement and substance use in adolescence and young adulthood is well established (Chitwood et al, 2008; Hill et al, 2009; Koenig, McCullough, & Larson, 2001), few studies have focused on marijuana use in adulthood
The dearth of research centering on medical marijuana is troublesome given rapidly changing attitudes and continued scientific debate (Rubens, 2014; Whiting et al, 2015)
Summary
Marijuana use for medical and recreational purposes is on the rise (Carliner et al, 2017; Caulkins, Kilmer, Reuter, & Midgette, 2015; Fairman, 2016; Han et al, 2017; Hasin et al, 2015). It should come as no surprise that public attitudes have liberalized over time, with strong majorities of U.S adults supporting medical marijuana use and the legalization of marijuana (Gallup, 2017; Quinnipiac University Poll, 2017). Despite these trends, prescribing marijuana remains illegal under federal law where it is categorized as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. While the American Medical Association’s House of Delegates (2016) has urged the federal government to review marijuana’s status as a Schedule I substance to facilitate research on the potential therapeutic value of marijuana, most medical organizations hold that cannabis is a dangerous public health concern
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