Cannabis laws, accessibility, and societal perceptions vary across different nations and cultures. Despite these differences, global consumption of cannabis continues to increase. The behavioral research concerning cannabis use is underdeveloped compared to literature which studies the substance’s physiological effects. This dearth in research has led to concerns regarding the motivations behind why people choose to use cannabis, in addition to how they may choose to attenuate use habits. Protective behavioral strategies are used in a variety of circumstances by individuals to alter the patterns by which they consume different substances.
This study examines the use of protective behavioral strategies in different cultures and sex.
The study’s sample consists of 1,175 university students from five different countries. Participants met eligibility criteria which included current cannabis use (reported as past month use) and current enrollment. The sample distribution according to country is as follows: the United States (n=698), Argentina (n=153), Spain (n=178), Uruguay (n=79), and the Netherlands (n=67). Participants completed online surveys which measured the following variables: demographics, cannabis use (via the Marijuana Use Grid), use of cannabis protective behavioral strategies (abbreviated “PBS”; via the PBS for Marijuana scale), and negative cannabis-related consequences. Surveys were translated appropriately from country-to-country. The data was analyzed using ANOVA’s, t-tests, and Pearson correlations.
Results of the study found students from the United States and Spain consumed, on average, more cannabis than the other countries in the sample. Female students in all countries except the Netherlands were found to use PBS at higher rates than males, and PBS usage, in general, correlated with cannabis use frequency. PBS was also associated with reduced negative consequences in the U.S., Spain, and Uruguay. The Netherlands saw the lowest rates of use, PBS, and negative consequences despite the nation having a well-established decriminalization policy.
Takeaway: the use of cannabis and subsequent behavioral modification strategies may differ internationally. In general, this study supports the notion that PBS is a helpful toolset in reducing cannabis consequences in college students.