The importance of cannabis culture in young adult cannabis use

Abstract

Background: Research into drug use initiation has focussed on drug use as risky behaviour. Qualitative research suggests that a culturally derived set of beliefs about the positive effects of cannabis play an important role in the production and maintenance of cannabis use.Methods: An online survey questionnaire was designed to measure both perceived positive and negative effects of cannabis. The questionnaire was submitted to a factor analysis, and two factors were extracted: a positive and a negative effect scale. Using regression analyses, associations with cannabis use, perception of general use and perception of general acceptance of use were assessed.Results: After removing respondents based on age and responses to questions, 1416 valid survey questionnaires were collected. In bivariate analyses, both positive effects and negative effects were associated with use (p < 0.001), perceived normative use (p < 0.001) and acceptance of use (p < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, only glorification remained consistently associated with perceived use, acceptance and all categories of use (p < 0.001).Conclusions: Positive beliefs about the effects of cannabis use are important and form part of a cannabis culture, which are essential for understanding initiation and maintenance of cannabis use. These findings have important ramifications for cannabis preventive work and also call on further investigation into the relation between cannabis culture and individual use.