Associations between Cannabis Consumption Methods and Cannabis Risk Perception

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cannabis Research
• Risk Perception Studies

Background:

• The diversification of cannabis products necessitates an understanding of how consumption methods influence risk perception.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the relationship between specific cannabis consumption behaviors and perceived risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the associations between various cannabis consumption methods and the perceived risk associated with smoking cannabis.
• To identify factors correlating with different cannabis consumption patterns.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the 2022 U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health data from 12,796 adult past-year cannabis users.
• Utilized multinomial and binary logistic regression models to assess relationships between consumption methods and risk perception.

Main Results:

• Smoking is the most common method, but half of users perceive no risk in smoking 1-2 times weekly.
• Moderate to great risk perception was linked to using fewer (1-3) consumption methods.
• Any perceived risk, especially great risk, was associated with higher odds of exclusive edibles/drinks consumption.

Conclusions:

• Varying risk perceptions exist across different cannabis consumption methods, impacting harm reduction strategies.
• Further research into cannabis edibles/drinks and dabs/concentrates is crucial for accurate risk assessment and public health guidance.