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Synthetic cannabinoid use and the acquired preparedness model
Tyler Pia1,2, Andrea H Weinberger2,3
1Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Presbyterian, Westchester, New York, USA.
The American Journal on Addictions
|May 20, 2025
Summary
Synthetic cannabinoid (SC) use in U.S. adults was studied, finding that higher sensation seeking correlated with more frequent use. SCs were used to manage stress, anxiety, and pain.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Addiction Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) pose significant health risks.
- Limited research exists on SC use patterns in the general U.S. population.
- Understanding motivations for SC use is crucial for intervention development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the frequency and characteristics of SC use in a nonclinical U.S. adult sample.
- To explore motivations for SC use using the Acquired Preparedness Model (APM).
- To examine the roles of impulsivity and positive outcome expectancies (POEs) in SC use frequency.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional online survey of 232 U.S. adults reporting past-year SC use.
- Descriptive statistics to characterize the sample and SC use patterns.
- Mediation analyses to assess the relationship between impulsivity facets, POEs, and SC use frequency.
Main Results:
- The average frequency of past-year SC use was 83 days.
- Higher sensation seeking was the only impulsivity facet significantly linked to increased SC use frequency.
- Positive outcome expectancies did not mediate the relationship between impulsivity and SC use frequency.
Conclusions:
- U.S. adults reported using SCs to cope with stress, anxiety, and pain.
- Sensation seeking emerged as a key correlate of frequent SC use.
- This study offers novel insights into SC use motivations in a nonclinical adult population.
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