Associations Between Number of Standard Doses of Tetrahydrocannabinol, Cannabis Use Motives and Cannabis-Related Negative Consequences
Authors: Tyskiewicz Alexander , Conner Bradley , Prince Mark , Riggs Nathaniel 
Published: September 2022

Intro: Recently, the National Institutes of Health published a notice of information regarding the establishment of a standard unit of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to be used in research. To address this notice, the current study examined if associations would differ when using standard dose as a measure of cannabis use compared to cannabis use frequency. We hypothesized that there would be a positive significant relation between cannabis use motives and cannabis-related consequences. We also hypothesized a significant positive relation between motives and cannabis use as measured by standard dose. Finally, we hypothesized that the positive relation between motives and cannabis-related consequences would be partially mediated by cannabis use as measured by standard dose but not cannabis use frequency. Method: We conducted five path analyses to test study hypotheses in a sample of individuals (n=84) who reported regular to heavy cannabis use. Results: Coping motives significantly positively predicted cannabis-related consequences (b=0.376, SE=0.136, p=0.006), such that a one-unit increase in coping motives was expected to increase cannabis-related consequences by a factor of 1.45 (45%). Number of standard doses significantly positively predicted cannabis-related consequences (b=0.24, SE=0.122, p=0.046) such that a one-unit increase in number of standard doses was expected to increase cannabis-related negative consequences by a factor of 1.27. (27%). In the social motives model, social motives significantly positively predicted cannabis-related negative consequences (b =.358, SE=.133, p=.007) such that a one-unit increase in social motives was expected to increase cannabis related consequences by a factor of 1.43 (43%). Also, social motives significantly positively predicted number of standard doses (b=0.3, SE=0.097, p=0.002) such that a one-unit increase in sense social motives was expected to increase the number of standard doses by a factor of 1.349 (35%). Enhancement motives significantly positively predicted cannabis-related consequences (b=0.406, SE=0.161, p=0.012) and number of standard doses consumed (b=0.2, SE=0.1, p=0.014). Further, IRRs revealed that one unit increases in number of standard doses ingested predicted larger increases in cannabis-related negative consequences than did one unit increases in cannabis use frequency across all models with significant results. All indirect effects were not significant. Discussion: Previous research has reported mixed findings on the relations between cannabis use and motives and cannabis use and consequences. This is likely due to how cannabis was being measured, by frequency. Our results suggest that relations between cannabis use frequency or standard doses have with motives and cannabis-related consequences differ in significant ways and that, when measured in standard dose or cannabis use frequency, cannabis use is not a significant mediator of the relation between motives and consequences.