Marijuana Motives Research Articles

Exploring Motivations for Cannabis Use in Casual Leisure: a German Perspective

AbstractCannabis is a popular leisure activity in many cultures, especially in North America and Europe, where it is commonly used for socializing and entertainment. A recent German study employed the Marijuana Motives Measure to survey young adults, analyzing four motivational factors in the context of casual leisure. The research aimed to understand the reasons behind adults’ daily cannabis use, its link to consumption frequency, and situations. The findings highlight cannabis use for hedonic pleasure, relaxation, and enhancing social experiences. Individuals driven by self-focused motives, seeking relaxation and hedonic pleasure, tend to use it more frequently, while other-focused motives, such as sociable conversation, are associated with less frequent and occasional consumption. The study further revealed that people who consume cannabis for self-focused motives typically do so alone or with someone at home, whereas those who use it for other-focused motives, such as sociable conversation, tend to do so in social settings.

Comparing Cannabis Use Motivations and Dependence Across Regular Cannabis Users Who Have or Have Not Recently Used Psilocybin.

Introduction: In Colorado, both cannabis and psilocybin are legal and becoming more commonly used. However, there is almost no research detailing the public health concerns regarding negative outcomes (e.g., dependence) of cannabis and psilocybin co-use and motives that may perpetuate these negative outcomes (e.g., coping, boredom). Methods: Using data from a larger observational study on cannabis and metabolic processes, regular cannabis users (use ≥7 times/month; n = 97, 35.1% female, 89.7% WHITE) who used psilocybin in the past 3 months (n = 34) were compared with those who had not used psilocybin in the past 3 months (n = 63) on cannabis dependence as measured by the Marijuana Dependence Scale and endorsement of 12 cannabis motives from the Comprehensive Marijuana Motives Questionnaire. Correlations between motives and dependence were also examined and compared across groups. Results: Findings revealed that individuals who had recently used psilocybin had greater cannabis dependence scores than those who had not used recently [F (1, 95) = 5.53, p = 0.02], and more strongly endorsed that their cannabis use was motivated by enjoyment [F (1, 91) = 4.31, p = 0.04], boredom [F (1, 91) = 9.10, p < 0.01], and availability [F (1, 91) = 9.46, p < 0.01]. Correlations between dependence scores and coping and boredom motives were also significantly positive for both groups (all p values <0.05) whereas positive correlations with experimentation, celebration, and availability motives were only significant for recent psilocybin users (all p values <0.05). Discussion: These results suggest there are motivational differences for cannabis use amongthose who co-use cannabis and psilocybin, and there may be a greater risk for harm for these individuals.

Motives for MDMA Use: A Comparative Study with Alcohol and Cannabis

IntroductionWhile research on drug use motives has primarily focused on widely used substances like alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis, understanding the motivations behind MDMA use is crucial for developing targeted therapeutic, preventive, and harm reduction strategies.ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to present the findings of an online survey that evaluates the motives behind the use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and draws comparisons between these motives and those for alcohol and cannabis consumption.Methods Data were collected through an online survey, available in both English and French, with 99 participants. The survey included five sections, including a substance abuse screening test (ASSIST) and the Pahnke-Richards Mystical Experience Questionnaire. The primary focus was on motives for MDMA use, assessed using an adapted version of the Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM), comparing them with alcohol and cannabis motives.Results The most reported motive for MDMA use was enhancement, followed by expansion motives. Social motives were the third most common, while coping motives ranked fourth, and conformity was the least common motive. Comparisons with alcohol and cannabis use motives revealed differences in motives for each substance. MDMA showed a unique pattern of motives.ConclusionsEnhancement emerged as the most prevalent motive for MDMA use, consistent with previous research on MDMA motive use. Expansion motives, which involve altering perceptions and increasing self-awareness, ranked second, reflecting the growing interest in MDMA-assisted therapy for conditions like PTSD. Surprisingly, social motives were less common for MDMA compared to alcohol and cannabis, suggesting unique social dynamics associated with MDMA use. Conformity motives were also less significant for MDMA users, possibly due to the age of initiation and user maturity. Understanding the motives behind MDMA use is essential for designing effective interventions and harm reduction strategies. The distinct motives for MDMA, as compared to alcohol and cannabis, highlight the need for tailored approaches to address its use. Further research should explore the complex interplay of motives, age of initiation, social context, and cultural factors to inform comprehensive strategies related to MDMA use.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Cannabis use in the UK: a quantitative comparison of individual differences in medical and recreational cannabis users.

There is a paucity of research, especially in the UK, that investigates individual differences in both medical and recreational cannabis users. A cross-sectional survey study design was used to assess recreational cannabis users and medical cannabis users currently living in the UK. Recreational cannabis users were invited to take part via social media. Medical cannabis users were recruited from Sapphire Medical Clinics, London, UK, which provides treatment with prescribed cannabis-based medicinal products. Demographic data and cannabis use frequency, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (PCL-5), depression symptoms (Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), trait and state anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and cannabis use motives [Comprehensive Marijuana Motives Questionnaire (CMMQ)] were collected. The Chi-square and independent-sample t-tests were used for the comparison of categorical variables and normally distributed continuous variables. Data were analyzed using analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and t-tests. Statistical significance was considered where the value of p was <0.05. The survey was completed by 161 participants. Medical cannabis users were older, consumed cannabis more often, had a higher "Sleep" motive on the CMMQ, and had a higher prevalence in self-reporting current diagnoses of neurological problems, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders (p < 0.05). Recreational cannabis users had higher scores on several motives for use (e.g., "Enjoyment," "Coping," "Experimentation," "Boredom," and "Celebration") and higher state anxiety scores (p < 0.05). The most common motives for cannabis use in both groups were "Enjoyment," "Low Risk," and "Sleep." There were no differences between groups in gender, "Low-Risk" motive, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, depression scores, trait anxiety scores, self-reported prevalence of substance use-related disorders, and past consumption of alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine (p > 0.05). The current study not only demonstrates a difference in age and motivations for cannabis consumption between recreational and medical cannabis users but also shows areas of potential overlap, including mental health outcomes, past substance use, and gender. These UK-specific findings indicate that recreational cannabis users experience higher state anxiety, highlighting the need for further evaluation of potential anxiogenic/anxiolytic properties of cannabis. These findings demonstrate the importance of researching individual differences in cannabis users and hold significant implications for future research, clinical practice, and legislation.

Motivations for Cannabis Use in Individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD).

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a debilitating psychiatric condition. Consequently, it is common for those affected to resort to cannabis to cope with their symptoms. The primary objective of this study was to understand the differences between motivations for cannabis use in adults with and without SAD. We employed convergent, mixed methods to collect the data. Twenty-six individuals (age: 27.9 ± 7.3 years; 54% female) with and twenty-six (age: 27.4 ± 6.7 years; 50% female) without SAD were administered Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM). Motivations to initiate, continue, and maintain cannabis use were assessed in 12/26 participants in both groups using in-depth interviews. Cannabis weekly consumption was 3.8-fold and frequency 1.3-fold higher in the SAD group. Coping (F = 10.02; p <0.001; η2 = 0.46) and social (F = 2.81; p = 0.036; η2 = 0.19) motivations were also higher in the SAD group, after controlling for age, sex, and current CUD. The need to cope with symptoms of SAD may have been the driving force for repeated cannabis consumption. Psychoeducational programs educating children about the risk of using cannabis to cope with SAD should be implemented in vocational settings early on.

Measurement invariance of the Marijuana Motives Measure among men and women using Stop Cannabis App

BackgroundMotives to use cannabis play a central role in the development and maintenance of problematic cannabis use and previous studies stressed sex-related differences on motives to use cannabis. However, motives cannot be validly compared in men and women without first establishing the measurement invariance across sex. Therefore, the aim of the study is to (1) examine for the first time the measurement and structural invariance of the Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM) across sex, and (2) to investigate the motives for cannabis use that best explain problematic use. Methods2951 (41.7% women) users of the “Stop cannabis” smartphone app of which 99.8% reported having used cannabis in the last three months completed an online MMM and ASSIST to assess the severity of their problematic cannabis use. ResultsMultigroup confirmatory factor analyses supported measurement invariance across sex, whereas structural invariance was not confirmed. Indeed, group comparisons indicated that women reported greater coping motives then men whereas men showed greater social motives than women. A multiple linear regression analysis showed that only coping and conformity motives were significantly associated with greater problematic cannabis use, whereas neither sex nor the sex by motives interactions were significantly related to problematic cannabis use. ConclusionsThe MMM appears to function comparably across men and women. Therefore, sex-related comparisons on the questionnaire can be considered valid. Coping and conformity motives may play a central role part in the development of marijuana use problems which may hold implications for intervention development and public policy.

Development of Brief Alcohol and Cannabis Motives Measures: Psychometric Evaluation Using Expert Feedback and Longitudinal Methods.

Alcohol and cannabis use motives are often studied as contributors to risky substance use patterns. While various measures for capturing such motives exist, most contain 20+ items, which render their inclusion in certain research designs (e.g., daily diary) or with certain populations (e.g., polysubstance users) unfeasible. We sought to generate and validate six-item measures of cannabis and alcohol motives from existing measures, the Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM) and the Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (MDMQ-R). In Study 1, items were generated, feedback from 33 content- domain experts was obtained, and item revisions were made. In Study 2, the finalized brief cannabis and alcohol motives measures, along with the MMM, MDMQ-R, and substance-related measures, were administered to 176 emerging adult cannabis and alcohol users (71.6% female) at two timepoints, two months apart. Participants were recruited through a participant pool. Study 1 experts indicated satisfactory ratings of face and content validity. Expert feedback was used to revise three items. Study 2 results suggest test-retest reliabilities for the single-item forms (r = .34 to .60) were similar to those obtained with full motives measures (r = .39 to .67). Validity was acceptable-to-excellent in that brief and full-length measures were significantly intercorrelated (r = .40 to .83). The brief and full-length measures had similar concurrent and predictive relationships for cannabis and alcohol quantity x frequency (coping- with-anxiety for cannabis and enhancement for alcohol) and problems (coping-with-depression), respectively. The brief measures represent psychometrically-sound measures of cannabis and alcohol use motives with substantially less participant burden than the MMM and MDMQ-R.

Internal Structure and Invariance of a Brief Version of the Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM-P15) in a Peruvian Population of Marijuana users

Background: The identification of the reasons for marijuana use has been supported by instruments such as the MMM. Despite its importance, there are still no valid brief versions of this instrument in Latin American countries. This paper seeks to fill this gap by providing evidence of validity and reliability, as well as the structural invariance of the MMM. Method: The sample consisted of 1164 male and female marijuana users, aged between 18 and 49 years, from Lima and Callao. Results: The factor analysis found a pentafactorial structure. The brief version (MMM-P15) and the wide MMM showed favorable properties from structure and reliability (ꙍ &gt; 0.88, H &gt; .84) with a slight superiority of the short instrument (RMSEA = .058 [CI 90% .050, .067], SRMR = 0.044, TLI = 0.99, CFI = 0.99). Likewise, both versions maintain the invariance of the instrument according to sex and evidence of internal validity was found (AVE &gt; 0.50). Conclusions: The MMM-P15 shows psychometric properties that support its use in both male and female marijuana users, and it is a short, versatile, and useful instrument for research purposes even in clinical settings. Antecedentes: La identificación de los motivos por los cuales se consume marihuana se ha visto apoyada por instrumentos como el MMM. A pesar de su importancia, aún no se cuenta con versiones breves válidas de este en países latinoamericanos. Este trabajo busca cubrir esta carencia aportando evidencia de validez y confiabilidad, así como la invarianza estructural del MMM. Método: La muestra comprende 1164 consumidores de marihuana, varones y mujeres, con edades entre 18 y 49 años, de Lima y Callao. Resultados: El análisis factorial halló una estructura pentafactorial. La versión breve (MMM-P15) y extensa (MMM) muestran favorables propiedades de estructura y consistencia interna (ꙍ &gt; 0.88, H &gt; .84) con una ligera superioridad del instrumento corto (RMSEA = .058 [IC 90% .050, .067], SRMR = .044, GFI = .99, TLI = .99, CFI = .99). Asimismo, ambas versiones mantienen la invarianza según el sexo y se encontró evidencia de validez interna (AVE &gt; 0.50). Conclusiones: El MMM-P15 evidencia propiedades psicométricas que respaldan su uso tanto en hombres y mujeres consumidores de marihuana, además es un instrumento corto, versátil y útil para fines de investigación incluso en contextos clínicos.

Investigating Why and How Young Adults Use Protective Behavioral Strategies for Alcohol and Marijuana Use: Protocol for Developing a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundYoung adulthood is associated with increased alcohol and marijuana use compared with other developmental periods. Alcohol and marijuana use place individuals at high risk for acute and long-term negative consequences. Despite the relatively large cross-sectional and longitudinal literature on protective behavioral strategies (PBS; behaviors that individuals can use to limit consequences and reduce substance use), little is known about why young adults choose to use PBS on specific occasions or why they might use PBS differently across occasions (ie, quality and consistency). There is significant room for improvement in the conceptualization, application, and understanding of PBS.ObjectiveThis study aims to develop a novel, brief web-based and SMS text messaging intervention, with input from young adults who use alcohol and marijuana, which addresses the extent to which motivations for PBS use and nonuse (marijuana or alcohol) and the quality of PBS use (the degree of effectiveness or degree of implementation) differ when using alcohol alone versus concurrently or simultaneously with marijuana.MethodsThis research will be conducted in 2 phases. Phase 1 will involve web-based focus groups (N=100) and cognitive interviews (N=10) to determine why young adults (aged 18-24 years) use or do not use specific PBS related to alcohol and marijuana use and elicit feedback on how motivations and the quality of PBS could be incorporated into a web-based and SMS text messaging PBS intervention as well as elicit feedback on developed intervention material. In phase 2, young adults (N=200; aged 18-24 years), who typically use alcohol and marijuana for at least 2 days per week, will be randomized to either the intervention or waitlist control group. The intervention will be brief, web-based, focusing on self-selected alcohol and marijuana PBS messages and motives for using alcohol- and marijuana-related PBS, and including intervention content delivered via SMS text messages 3 days a week (random day, Friday, and Saturday) over 8 consecutive weeks. All participants will report on PBS use, motivations for PBS use (and nonuse), quality of PBS use, and alcohol and marijuana use in morning surveys timed to occur the day after the intervention SMS text messages for those in the intervention group.ResultsRecruitment and enrollment for phase 1 began in January 2022. Recruitment for phase 2 is anticipated to begin in January 2023. Upon completion of the phase 2 pilot, we will examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effect sizes of the newly developed brief web-based and SMS text messaging intervention.ConclusionsThis study will provide an in-depth understanding of young adults’ PBS use and has the potential to develop a more efficacious intervention for co-occurring or simultaneous alcohol and marijuana behaviors.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04978129; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04978129International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/37106

Negative Affect Regulation and Marijuana Use in College Students: Evaluating the Mediating Roles of Coping and Sleep Motives

ABSTRACT Negative affect regulation models suggest that marijuana may be used to reduce negative affect. Extant research has provided support for these models, indicating that specific motives for marijuana use, particularly coping motives (i.e., using to alleviate negative affects), mediate relations between affective vulnerabilities and marijuana outcomes. However, sleep motives (i.e., using to promote sleep) have been neglected from such models, despite their theoretical relevance. The present study tested two multiple mediation models in a large sample of marijuana-using college students (N = 1,453) to evaluate the indirect effects of coping and sleep motives in paths from depressive and anxiety symptoms to marijuana outcomes (use, consequences, and cannabis use disorder [CUD] symptoms). Both coping and sleep motives mediated the effects of depressive/anxiety symptoms on each marijuana variable. Moreover, significant double mediated effects were found, such that higher affective symptoms were associated with greater motives; which were associated with more marijuana use; which was related to more negative consequences and CUD symptoms. The findings provide support for sleep motives as a relevant pathway between affective vulnerabilities and marijuana outcomes. Additional research is needed to evaluate the potential benefits of interventions targeting specific marijuana motives.

Analyzing the Behavior of Cannabis Users during the COVID-19 Confinement in Spain.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our lives is unquestionable, including in the area of substance consumption. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the pattern of cannabis use during the Spanish COVID-19 lockdown and confinement, and to analyze the variations in the reported motives for cannabis use and withdrawal symptoms. A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted between April and May 2020, using an instrument that included two time points. Time 1 collected retrospective information on the participants’ habits (N = 89; 73% male; mean age = 29.01) prior to confinement and Time 2 collected the same information during the confinement. Sociodemographic data were collected, as well as the frequency of substance use, cannabis use patterns, sources of cannabis, perceived availability of drugs and cannabis price, and the Marijuana Motives Measure questionnaire and the Cannabis Withdrawal Scale were used. Results showed a decrease in both cannabis use and consumption due to enhancement and social motives. All reported sources of cannabis experienced a reduction except for the Internet, which experienced a significant increase. There was a positive correlation between withdrawal symptoms and coping motives before and during the lockdown. These findings will allow professionals to better develop both prevention and intervention strategies.

Patterns, Consequences, and Motives in Simultaneous Use of Prescription Stimulant Medication with Alcohol and Marijuana

Objective Nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NPS) continues to be a concern on college campuses. Previous research demonstrates a strong link between NPS and use of other substances, particularly alcohol and marijuana among college students. Simultaneous use of NPS with other substances has become an increasing concern. Given the high rates of NPS and simultaneous NPS with other substances, research examining substance use patterns and motives among students is warranted. Method: This study evaluated group differences in alcohol and marijuana use patterns, consequences, and motives among college students: a) with no NPS history (No NPS); b) engaged in NPS with no simultaneous use (Non-Sim NPS); and c) engaged in simultaneous NPS with alcohol and/or marijuana (Sim NPS). Participants included 1,108 students from three universities who reported past-year marijuana and alcohol use. Results: Overall, 32.8% reported lifetime NPS with 12.5% indicating NPS in the previous 3 months, of which 51.1% reported simultaneous NPS with alcohol and 40.2% with marijuana. Significant group differences for all drinking and marijuana outcomes were found, with heaviest rates among the Sim NPS group, followed by the Non-Sim NPS group, and the No NPS group. The Sim NPS group reported greater motives for using marijuana to alter the effects of other substances. Conclusions: College students engaged in simultaneous NPS with alcohol and marijuana are a high-risk group that should be the focus of prevention and intervention programs in the campus setting.

Interactions of protective behavioral strategies and cannabis use motives: An online survey among past-month users.

Given the constant high prevalence of cannabis use and cannabis dependence, it is important to determine protective behaviors on the individual level, which buffer the effects of risk factors. Protective Behavioral Strategies for Marijuana (PBSM) have been identified to play an important role for harm reduction in adolescent and young adult users. In the present study, we analyzed if PBSM moderate the effects of use motives (captured by the Marijuana Motives Measure, MMM) on the severity of dependence beyond the effects of age, gender, education and cannabis use frequency. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to validate the German versions of PBSM and MMM. Data was gathered in an online survey distributed to randomly chosen households in the city of Bern in the German speaking part of Switzerland. The final sample comprised 362 past-month users. Results showed negative correlations between PBSM and cannabis use frequency and severity of dependence. The only motives being correlated with severity of dependence were coping and routine, beyond frequency of use. PBSM significantly moderated the effect only of routine motives on the severity of dependence. However, only a few cases who used PBSM extensively were affected. PBSM appear to be an important factor to reduce harm among past-month users but not among those with dependent use patterns, e.g. coping and routine users. Clinical implications are discussed. The routine factor adds significantly to the MMM and should be implemented and improved in future studies. PBSM as well as the MMM can be used in future studies in German speaking populations.

Relación entre las motivaciones para consumir y el consumo problemático de cannabis

Systematic screening of problematic cannabis use does not include the motivations that lead to consumption, although from a person-centered perspective this is fundamental. The present study explores the motivations for cannabis use in adults and its relationship with cannabis use patterns and problematic use. Adult cannabis users (previous 60 days) were recruited in the province of Barcelona (n = 468). Information on their sociodemographic data, cannabis use pattern, Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST) and the main motivation for use were collected. Motivations were categorized a posteriori according to the Marijuana Motives Measures (MMM). A descriptive and inferential analysis was carried out to link the motivations to sociodemographic variables, consumption pattern and probability of suffering problematic cannabis use (CAST). Using cannabis to heighten positive feelings (35%), out of habit (29%) and to cope with negative feelings (25%) were the most frequent motivations. In comparison to other motivations, coping is related to a greater quantity of cannabis used (4 vs 3 joints per day, p = 0.005), higher probability of problematic cannabis use (77% vs 64%, p = 0.05), and greater social vulnerability (unemployment 56% vs 37%, p = 0.001; and low educational level 14% vs 8%, p = 0.042). Coping as a motivation for cannabis use is present in one out of four users and is a marker of social vulnerability, greater quantity of cannabis used and higher risk of problematic use. Patient-centered care together with preventive (emotional and social education) and clinical strategies (psychotherapy) can be useful for this population at higher risk.

Is self-compassion negatively associated with alcohol and marijuana-related problems via coping motives?

Alcohol and marijuana misuse is prevalent on many university campuses, with high rates of undergraduate students reporting experiencing alcohol and/or marijuana-related problems, which have been consistently associated with coping-motivated use. While previous studies have found dispositional mindfulness to be negatively associated with coping motives and alcohol-related problems, the present two-part study examines self-compassion, a complementary construct to mindfulness. Study One examines whether dispositional self-compassion is negatively associated with alcohol-related problems via drinking to cope with anxiety and depression, whereas Study Two extends this model by examining whether dispositional self-compassion is negatively associated with marijuana-related problems via coping-motivated marijuana use. Undergraduate students (N = 174 in Study One; N = 165 in Study Two) completed self-report measures assessing their levels of dispositional self-compassion, drinking or marijuana motives, and alcohol or marijuana-related problems. In Study One, mediation analyses showed dispositional self-compassion was negatively associated with alcohol-related problems via drinking to cope with anxiety, but not depression. In Study Two, mediation analyses showed dispositional self-compassion was negatively associated with marijuana-related problems via coping-motivated marijuana use. Future research should investigate whether self-compassion training helps reduce drinking to cope with anxiety, drinking to cope with depression, and/or coping-motivated marijuana use and the associated problems, and how this relationship differs for students who drink to cope with anxiety versus depression.

Motives for cannabis use in a sample of portuguese users

ABSTRACT Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance worldwide. Given the increasing trends of its use and the impression of its harmlessness, it is important to understand the user’s motivation to adjust prevention and intervention strategies. Thus, the present study sought to explore the psychometric properties of the motives to use cannabis among Portuguese cannabis users, describing the main motives for cannabis use and their associated factors. A sample of Portuguese adolescent and youth users (N = 212) were administered a sociodemographic questionnaire; a set of questions from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs regarding lifetime, annual, monthly and weekly use; the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test; and the Comprehensive Marijuana Motives Questionnaire. The results allowed us to identify an adequate structure and reliability of the measure, with internal consistency ranging from .719 to .907. The main motives for using cannabis were to celebrate, enjoy and experiment, with some gender and age differences. Moderate correlations were found between cannabis use and sleep, altered perception and experimentation, explaining 46.5% of the variance in cannabis use. The results are discussed, and future directions are presented.

Why do people use new psychoactive substances? Development of a new measurement tool in six European countries.

New psychoactive substances (NPS) pose a public health threat. Many studies have tried to identify the reasons of NPS use; however, none of them have so far used any standardised measures. The aim of this study was (i) to develop and cross-culturally validate the New Psychoactive Substance Use Motives Measure (NPSMM) and (ii) to compare motives of NPS use across countries and user types. Three subgroups (socially marginalised users, nightlife attendees and members of online communities) of NPS users (N = 3023) were recruited from six EU member countries. Demographics, motives and types of NPS used were assessed. NPS use motives were measured by adapting the extended six-factor version of the Marijuana Motives Measure. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a similar five-factor solution across most of the countries: coping, enhancement, social, conformity and expansion motives. Marginalised users scored higher on coping and conformity motives, nightlife groups showed higher endorsement of social motive, whereas online community users showed higher scores on expansion motives. Various types of NPS were also associated with different motives. NPS use motives might be associated with both the groups of users and the specific types of NPS being consumed. Expansion (psychedelics) and enhancement (stimulants) motives seemed to be linked to the chosen NPS product type, while coping, social and conformity motives were rather associated with user groups. NPSMM was found to be a valid instrument to measure NPS motives.

Differentiating Medicinal and Recreational Cannabis Users via Cannabis Use Motives

People who use cannabis for medicinal vs. recreational purposes exhibit several important differences in terms of cannabis use quantity and frequency, cannabis-related problems, and other critical factors. However, there is currently little research on different motivations for use in these groups. The present study identifies specific cannabis use motives (using the Comprehensive Marijuana Motives Questionnaire) that distinguish medicinal (n = 283) from recreational (n = 462) users in a large, geographically-diverse sample recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Logistic regression analyses indicated that sleep, social anxiety, and coping motives were associated with greater odds of medicinal use. Conversely, motives related to boredom, enjoyment, simultaneous alcohol use, and celebration were associated with greater odds of recreational use. Specific cannabis use motives may be relevant when screening for cannabis use problems and providing targeted interventions for problem-level cannabis use.

A Day in the Life: A Daily Diary Examination of Marijuana Motives and Protective Behavioral Strategies Among College Student Marijuana Users

This study examined marijuana-use motives and protective behavioral strategies (PBS) as within- and between-subject predictors of marijuana-related outcomes. Furthermore, we explored differences between a specific marijuana-related event (i.e., 4/20) compared with typical weekend/weekday use. Forty-three college student marijuana users (31 females) completed daily surveys for 12 days (April 15–April 26, 2016). Four motives (coping, conformity, enhancement, and social) were associated with more negative consequences within-subjects. Enhancement and conformity motives were also associated with a higher number of use sessions, and expansion motives were associated with higher subjective high. Marijuana PBS use (total score) was associated with fewer sessions and lower subjective high within-subjects. Social motives were higher, whereas PBS use and coping motives were lower on 4/20 compared with other days. Our findings support PBS and certain use motives as promising intervention targets for college student marijuana users.

Marijuana use in undergraduate students: the short-term relationship between motives and frequency of use

ABSTRACTBackground: Prior to legalization in October 2018, marijuana was the most commonly used illicit drug in Canada, with 60-73% of undergraduate students reporting use over their lifetime. Research consistently links marijuana use to negative outcomes such as physical and mental health problems and social, educational, and occupational impairments. Changes in substance use ensue rapidly in emerging adults, which makes understanding the link between motives and frequency important.Methods: A sample of 410 participants was recruited to complete self-report measures of marijuana motives and frequency of marijuana use at Baseline and Follow-Up (two weeks later). Of the initial sample, 247 reported prior use of marijuana and were included in the analyses. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to test the relationships between the Baseline marijuana motives and frequency of use at Follow-Up while controlling for Baseline frequency of use.Results: The coping motive was the only motive significantly associated with a greater frequency of future marijuana use after controlling for prior frequency of use.Conclusion: Findings from this study help clarify the link between reasons for using marijuana and the frequency of use – an important area of research given recent legalization in Canada.