Top 10 reasons why people use marijuana
The main reasons people drink alcohol include relaxation, pleasure, group belonging, avoiding physical and/or psychological pain, experimentation, and rebellion. Alcohol has been used for thousands of years in religious ceremonies, medical treatments, sensual moments, and more. But what are the top 10 reasons people use marijuana today? Well, there is some data, and it varies a bit by age.
With legalization, all of Canada and over 50% of the United States have access to legal marijuana, leading to greater acceptance. Over 85% believe it should be legal in some form, and the federal government has recognized its health benefits.
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Psychology Today published an article with this information. They used data from four different studies to find out the reasons for use and published some of the results. The articles are usually based on secondary research. In other words, they rely on surveys and data from other sources to create a “picture” of the average consumer.
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Age plays a significant role in motivation. First-year students make different decisions depending on their limited life experience and social environment. The first study examined possible motivational factors for first-year students.
“The most frequently cited reasons were enjoyment/fun, conformity, experimentation, social enrichment, boredom and relaxation.”
Social acceptance was another category that ranked high in this age group, and that makes sense. When you're finally “out of the nest,” you need a channel to connect with other people. If people are smoking weed, you might feel a little more inclined to try to “fit in.”
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The majority of users are post-college age. Another study looked at this demographic to understand the motivations for cannabis use. Unsurprisingly, there is a much more nuanced list of reasons than the college age demographic. Here are the top 10 reasons why people use marijuana, according to researchers.
- Relaxation
- Feel well
- Medical applications
- inspiration
- New perspectives on things
- Dealing with depression and anxiety
- Forget your worries
- Enjoying films or music
- Better sleep
- Dealing with boredom
Similar to alcohol, the primary reason is recreational. But unlike alcohol, the next most important reason is medical use, with a significant number of people using it to treat a variety of problems, including chronic pain, cancer, seizures, anxiety, and more.
Dealing with stress and anxiety is lower on the list, something other than alcohol. But using substances to escape long-term problems is quite productive. Like a glass at the end of the day, a gummy bear, or a drag on an e-cigarette, it can simply take the edge off a rough day. But doing it too much and indulging too much could be a reason to re-examine the motive.
The study researchers said: “Consumers are largely very aware of their consumption habits and change their behavior if they consider it problematic.”
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