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Expectancies that Predict Cannabis Initiation in Response to Legalization.
Olivia L Bolts1, Mark A Prince1, Nora E Noel2
1Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
Substance Use & Misuse
|April 10, 2023
Summary
Legalizing cannabis may increase use among college students who don't currently use it. Their expectations about cannabis effects influence their likelihood of use in specific situations if it becomes legal.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Cannabis Policy
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Changes in nonmedical/recreational cannabis laws prompt investigation into legalization's impact on use behaviors.
- Existing U.S. state laws prohibiting nonmedical cannabis provide a context for studying potential use changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- Examine the relationship between cannabis legalization, context-specific use likelihood, and cannabis expectancies.
- Investigate how expectancies influence the likelihood of cannabis use among non-using college students if laws change.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey data collected from 121 college students abstaining from or never having used cannabis.
- Analysis focused on hypothetical scenarios of cannabis legalization within a prohibitive U.S. state.
Main Results:
- 61% of students reported increased likelihood of cannabis use if it were legal.
- Specific expectancies (social, relaxation, cognitive enhancement) predicted higher use likelihood in certain contexts.
- Negative effects expectancies predicted lower use likelihood across multiple contexts.
Conclusions:
- Cannabis expectancies are linked to use likelihood in specific contexts among non-using college students if cannabis is legalized.
- Findings suggest targeting expectancies and contexts for public health education and prevention initiatives.
- College students may benefit from harm reduction strategies to navigate increased cannabis availability.
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