Individual and contextual predictors of severity of marijuana use events among young frequent users

This study used momentary sampling to characterize marijuana events among young frequent users and determine contextual and individual predictors of use severity. Medical clinic outpatients aged 15–24 who used marijuana at least twice a week completed a baseline assessment, then used a handheld computer to report marijuana use at 4–6 signal-prompted times per day and before/after use for 2 weeks. Reports assessed event characteristics (when, with whom, where, how, why, how much, how high). Timestamps identified time, weekend, and duration for each event. Generalized estimating equations tested associations of individual and event-specific contextual characteristics with hits/event, duration, and high. Forty-one youth completed 3868 momentary reports; 40 (98%) reported at least one marijuana use event (N = 432 events; M = 10.5/participant) and thus provided data for these analyses. Marijuana was most commonly used with other people (74% of events), at home (58%), via blunt (66%), and for social or enhancement reasons (86%). Most events (62%) occurred on weekdays; use was least likely in the morning (8%). Most events involved 6 or more hits (81%). Mean high was 5.2 (out of 8). Of events with start and end times (n = 250), mean duration was 46.8 min. Poor mental health and use with a blunt or a bong, in the morning or evening, and on the weekend were associated with 6 or more hits/event. Female gender was associated with greater event duration. Poor mental health predicted higher high. Among youth who used it frequently, marijuana was used in a variety of contexts, with diversity in method, dose, and duration. Contextual factors appeared to predict marijuana dose for a given event, while individual characteristics were more predictive of high and duration.

► We use momentary sampling to characterize marijuana use among young frequent users.
► We determine contextual and individual predictors of marijuana use severity.
► We found diversity in social context, method, dose, and duration of marijuana use.
► Contextual factors appear to predict marijuana dose for a given event.
► Individual characteristics may be more predictive of high and duration of use.