How Much Veterans Value Cannabis Predicted Future Use, and Vice Versa
In 133 veterans who use cannabis, the perceived value of cannabis (measured by willingness to pay) and actual use were bidirectionally linked over 6 months, with use more strongly predicting increased demand than demand predicting increased use.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Baseline cannabis use predicted greater cannabis demand intensity, maximum expenditure, and other demand indices at 6 months. Conversely, baseline demand intensity, breakpoint, and price sensitivity predicted greater use at 6 months. The pathway from use to demand was consistently stronger than from demand to use, suggesting use itself drives perceived value more than perceived value drives use.
Key Numbers
133 veterans; 6-month follow-up; use predicted intensity (β=0.32), Omax (β=0.37); intensity predicted use (β=0.14); breakpoint predicted use (β=0.12); use-to-demand pathway consistently stronger
How They Did This
Two-wave longitudinal study of 133 veterans reporting past 6-month cannabis use. Cannabis demand assessed via hypothetical marijuana purchase task. Autoregressive cross-lagged panel models examined bidirectional relationships between demand indices and use over 6 months.
Why This Research Matters
Understanding the cyclical relationship between how much people value cannabis and how much they use it can inform treatment. If use drives demand more than demand drives use, reducing consumption even temporarily might reduce the perceived value and make sustained reduction easier.
The Bigger Picture
Behavioral economic measures like cannabis demand are gaining traction as treatment targets. This longitudinal evidence showing use and demand reinforce each other supports interventions that break this cycle at either point.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Veteran sample may not represent general cannabis users. Two time points limit causal inference. Hypothetical purchase task may not reflect real-world spending. Only intensity showed acceptable test-retest reliability.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would treatment-induced reductions in use lead to corresponding decreases in demand?
- ?Are demand measures useful as treatment outcome indicators?
- ?Do demand patterns differ between medical and recreational users?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Bidirectional over 6 months
- Evidence Grade:
- Longitudinal design with validated behavioral economic measures, but small veteran sample with only two time points
- Study Age:
- 2023 study
- Original Title:
- Cannabis demand and use among veterans: A prospective examination.
- Published In:
- Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 37(8), 985-995 (2023)
- Authors:
- Aston, Elizabeth R(9), Meshesha, Lidia Z, Stevens, Angela K(3), Borsari, Brian, Metrik, Jane
- Database ID:
- RTHC-04381
Evidence Hierarchy
Follows a group of people over time to track how outcomes develop.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does using more cannabis make you want it more?
This study suggests yes. Cannabis use predicted increased demand (perceived value) over 6 months more strongly than demand predicted use, suggesting a self-reinforcing cycle.
Could reducing use make it easier to keep reducing?
The findings suggest this is possible. Since use drives demand more than the reverse, cutting back on use might naturally reduce how much a person values cannabis, making sustained reduction easier.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-04381APA
Aston, Elizabeth R; Meshesha, Lidia Z; Stevens, Angela K; Borsari, Brian; Metrik, Jane. (2023). Cannabis demand and use among veterans: A prospective examination.. Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 37(8), 985-995. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000916
MLA
Aston, Elizabeth R, et al. "Cannabis demand and use among veterans: A prospective examination.." Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000916
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis demand and use among veterans: A prospective examin..." RTHC-04381. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/aston-2023-cannabis-demand-and-use
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.