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Marijuana use and associated motives in Colorado university students
Author(s) -
Phillips Kristina T.,
Lalonde Trent L.,
Phillips Michael M.,
Schneider Maryia M.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the american journal on addictions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.997
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-0391
pISSN - 1055-0496
DOI - 10.1111/ajad.12640
Subject(s) - boredom , psychology , recreation , clinical psychology , psychological intervention , harm reduction , cannabis , poisson regression , medicine , psychiatry , environmental health , demography , family medicine , social psychology , population , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , sociology , political science , law
Background and Objectives Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug among college students, with heavy use leading to negative outcomes. Use of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes in select U.S. states has been controversial, with concerns surrounding increased prevalence rates and harm. The current exploratory study aimed to assess marijuana use in college students in Colorado, demographic differences in frequency of use, and motives for using. Methods College students ( N = 300; 61% female) were recruited through introductory psychology courses and completed a series of questionnaires and a marijuana urine screen. Results Almost three‐fourths of the sample reported lifetime use of marijuana. Sixty‐five percent used marijuana within the last year and 29% tested positive on the urine screen. Hurdle Poisson regression models with a subset of participants ( n = 117) showed non‐Greek and freshman status were associated with increased number of days participants used marijuana in the last month. Problem marijuana use was positively associated with a range of motives—of note—motives focused on coping, boredom, alcohol, and food. Conclusions and Scientific Significance Prevalence rates of marijuana use were high in this sample of college students in a state with legal recreational marijuana use. Particular students (eg, students who use marijuana to cope) may be at higher risk for problem marijuana use. Developing effective, tailored interventions for university students is warranted. (Am J Addict 2017;26:830–837)