Young Adults' Use of Prescription Opioids and Cannabis Postoperatively: A Qualitative Study

There is a gap in understanding young adults' (YA) attitudes toward and use patterns of opioids and cannabis use in the perioperative period. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore patterns and motivations for prescription opioid use and cannabis use among YAs in the postsurgical context.

Participants were 13 YAs aged 19-25 years (mean age = 22.9 years) who were prescribed opioids for pain management postsurgery. We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using thematic analysis. Interviews took place between 2 and 12 weeks after surgery, and interview prompts were open-ended questions related to patterns and motivations for opioid use, pain and pain management, and cannabis use.

Several themes were developed in the qualitative analysis, e.g., "a fear of opioids," "fear messaging from parents," "choosing to endure pain to avoid negative side effects from opioids," "positive mental health effects from cannabis use," "using cannabis for pain relief," "contradictory perceptions about effects on pain," and "changing cannabis use around surgery." YAs' fear of opioids often resulted in them taking opioids less than prescribed. Many participants used cannabis after surgery for pain and anxiety management and were intentional about their use in the perioperative stage.

This qualitative study offers a unique window into YA perspectives on postoperative care, particularly patterns of and motivations for prescription opioid and cannabis use. Most reports of fear related to prescription opioids were related to a fear of future dependence and addiction, and YAs were aware and knowledgeable about potential risks of prolonged opioid use. YAs also used cannabis frequently and intentionally to manage pain. Future research could expand on this work and focus on whether postoperative pain management is optimized for YAs in the context of fear of opioids and cannabis use.