1. Predicting Attitudes Towards Cannabis Legalization
Among Canadian Adolescents
Jill M. Robinson, B.A Hons, Marvin Krank, Ph.D.
Cognitions and Substance Use Laboratory
University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, British Columbia
URSU logo
Introduction
Cannabis is the most common illicit drug used by adolescents in the world.
Canadian adolescents report using cannabis more than any other illicit substance with past year usage estimates ranging from 21% to 28% in the adolescent population.
As such, youth is a critical period for drug and alcohol experimentation.
The decision to initiate cannabis use is mediated by familial, peer, community, and social factors.
Research as to whether legalization produces increased rates of adolescent cannabis use is inconclusive.
This poster explores attitudes about cannabis legalization among Canadian adolescents.
Methods
565 grade 8 students from a large public school district in Western Canada were tested as a supplemental component of their Health and Career Education curriculum.
As a part of a larger research study, students self-reported previous cannabis, alcohol and tobacco use patterns, intent to use drugs and alcohol in the coming year, attitudes towards cannabis legalization in Canada, and demographic variables.
Students were asked to speculate as to what percentage of their fellow students used cannabis.
A logistic regression was performed to ascertain the effects that siblings, perceived peer use, past cannabis use, and intention to use cannabis had on the likelihood that participants held positive attitudes towards cannabis legalization.
Results
Usage patterns suggest that 8%, 2.8% and 12% of adolescents in grade 8 have used cannabis, cigarettes, and alcohol respectively in the past year.
62.9% of respondents believe that legalization will be bad or very bad while 37.1% believe it will be good or very good.
Logistic regression analyses revealed that perceived peer cannabis use (β = .094, 95% CI = [ ], p=0.027 ), past year cannabis use (β=-1.925, 95% CI = .146 [ ], p=.002), and intent to use cannabis (β=-1.311, 95% CI = .269 [ ], p=.028) were significantly related to a positive attitude towards cannabis legalization.
Having one or more older brothers (β = -.035, 95% CI = .966 [ ], p=.751) or sisters (β = .042, 95% CI = [ ], p=.713) was not significantly related to a positive attitude toward cannabis legalization.
Discussion
Consistent with previous findings, adolescents use alcohol most frequently, followed by cannabis, and only a small minority use cigarettes.
A majority of adolescents suggest that legalization will be negative.
However, the majority of past users who intend to use in the coming year suggest that legalization will be positive.
A majority of non-users suggest that legalization will be negative.
Having used cannabis in the last year and having an intention to use in the coming year predicts having a positive attitude toward legalization in Canada.
Further, having the perception that a large percentage of fellow students are using cannabis predicts having a more positive attitude toward legalization.
Figure 1: Adolescent Usage Patterns
Table 2: Logistic Regression Analyses
– Variables in the Equation
Table 3: Pearson Correlational Analyses
Figure 3: Attitudes Towards Legalization by Group
Older brother
Older sister
Last cannabis use
Perceived % of students using
Past year cannabis use
.268** -
.101
-.010
Perceived % of students using in the past month
.094*
.065
.407**
.104*
.037
.811**
.110
Intent to use cannabis
.102*
.039
.708**
-.100
.300*
Exp(B)
Sig.
95% CI for Exp(B)
Wald
Lower
Upper
Older brother
.966
.751
.779
1.198
0.101
Older sister
1.043
.713
.834
1.305
.136
Perceived % of students using in the past month
1.098
.027
1.011
1.193
4.879
Past year cannabis use
.146
.002
.043
.499
9.420
Intent to use cannabis
.269
.028
.084
.867
4.838
Figure 2: Attitudes Towards Legalization
*sig at 0.05; **sig at 0.01
View and download this poster at:
For more information about this project
contact the author at:
Poster presented at The 27th Annual International Cannabinoid Research Society Symposium on the Cannabinoids, Montréal, QB, June 23-26, 2017