Table 3.
Motivations for marijuana use during adolescence and past 90 days (N=366)
| Adolescence | Patients n=201 % (n) |
Non-Patients n=142 % (n) |
Total N=343a % (n) |
Unadjusted risk ratios (95%CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-medical motivations | ||||
| To have fun | 81.1 (163) | 76.1 (108) | 79.0 (271) | 1.1 (0.9–1.4) |
| To experiment | 75.1(151) | 72.5 (103) | 74.1(254) | 1.1 (0.9–1.3) |
| To celebrate | 63.7 (128) | 62.7 (89) | 63.3 (217) | 1.0 (0.8–1.2) |
| To help think differently or creatively | 63.2 (127) | 54.2 (77) | 59.5 (204) | 1.2 (1.0–1.4) |
| To relieve boredom | 49.8 (100) | 52.8 (75) | 51.0 (175) | 1.0 (0.8–1.1) |
| Medical motivations | ||||
| To help relax or feel more confident | 72.6 (146) | 65.5 (93) | 69.7 (239) | 1.2 (0.9–1.4) |
| To help sleep | 64.2 (129) | 51.4 (73) | 58.9 (202) | 1.3 (1.0–1.5)* |
| To relieve feeling anxious | 58.2 (117) | 44.4 (63) | 52.5 (180) | 1.3 (1.1–1.5)* |
| To relieve physical pain | 51.7 (104) | 42.3 (60) | 47.8 (164) | 1.2 (1.0–1.4) |
| To help me focus | 51.7 (104) | 35.9 (51) | 45.2 (155) | 1.3 (1.1–1.6)* |
| To cope with feeling depressed | 45.3 (91) | 31.0 (44) | 39.4 (135) | 1.3 (1.1–1.5)* |
| As a substitute for alcohol | 37.3 (75) | 32.4 (46) | 35.3 (121) | 1.1 (0.9–1.3) |
| Past 90 days | Patients n=210 % (n) | Non-patients n=156 % (n) | Total N=366 % (n) | Unadjusted risk ratios (95%CI) |
| Non-medical motivations | ||||
| To have fun | 68.6(144) | 71.8(112) | 69.9(256) | 0.9 (0.8–1.1) |
| To experiment | 20.0(42) | 17.9(28) | 19.1(70) | 1.1 (0.9–1.3) |
| To celebrate | 68.6(144) | 66.7(104) | 67.8(248) | 1.0 (0.9–1.3) |
| To help think differently or creatively | 75.2(158) | 62.2(97) | 69.7(255) | 1.3 (1.1–1.6)* |
| To relieve boredom | 47.6(100) | 46.2(72) | 47.0(172) | 1.0 (0.9–1.2) |
| Medical motivations | ||||
| To help relax or feel more confident | 87.6(184) | 78.2(122) | 83.6(306) | 1.4 (1.0–1.9)* |
| To help sleep | 82.9(174) | 72.4(113) | 78.4(287) | 1.3 (1.0–1.7)* |
| To relieve feeling anxious | 69.5(146) | 53.8(84) | 62.8(230) | 1.3 (1.1–1.7)* |
| To relieve physical pain | 71.4(150) | 53.8(84) | 63.9(234) | 1.4 (1.1–1.7)** |
| To help me focus | 64.3(135) | 48.7(76) | 57.7(211) | 1.3 (1.1–1.6)* |
| To cope with feeling depressed | 45.2(95) | 35.9(56) | 41.3(151) | 1.2 (1.0–1.4) |
| As a substitute for alcohol | 41.0(86) | 34.0(53) | 38.0(139) | 1.1 (1.0–1.4) |
Boldface indicates statistical significance:
*
P<0.05,
**
P<0.01,
***
P<0.001
a
Only participants who reported initiating marijuana use before the age of 19 (n=343) received the question about motivations for marijuana use during adolescence.