Higher Frequency Cannabis Use Tied to Demographic Factors

Young and racial minority populations, those with low socioeconomic status more likely to have higher frequency use

FRIDAY, Dec. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Higher frequency cannabis use is more common among young and racial minority populations, and individuals with low socioeconomic status, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in JAMA Network Open.

Abra M. Jeffers, Ph.D., from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues used data from 387,179 respondents to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys (2016 to 2019) to examine frequency of cannabis use and associated factors among U.S. adults.

The researchers found that smoking was the most common form of cannabis use. There was significant variance in the frequency of cannabis use by age, gender, race, marital status, education, and employment. Younger age (ages 18 to 34 years: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.12; ages 35 to 64 years: aOR, 2.22), Black (aOR, 1.46) and Native American (aOR, 1.25) race, and less educational attainment (high school or less: aOR, 1.09; some college: aOR, 1.27) were associated with higher frequency cannabis use. Lower frequency cannabis use was associated with being married (aOR, 0.54), and identifying as Asian (aOR, 0.60) or Hispanic (aOR, 0.71).

“Higher-frequency use among these populations may warrant more attention from policymakers and public health officials in the form of screening, risk stratification, and treatment given the known and emerging adverse health effects of cannabis,” the authors write.