What Motivates Indigenous Australian Men to Quit Cannabis

Q: Why were employment and self-image not strong motivators?

In remote Indigenous communities with different social paradigms, individual achievement markers like employment carry less weight than collective responsibilities such as family and kinship obligations.

Q: How much cannabis were participants using?

Current users averaged 12.3 cones per day, which is considered heavy use. Many also used other substances.

Among incarcerated Indigenous Australian men, family responsibilities and incarceration itself were the strongest motivators for quitting cannabis, while employment and self-image concerns had little influence.

Jacups, Susan et al.·Journal of psychoactive drugs·2015·Preliminary EvidenceCross-Sectional

Quitting (221)Addiction (1380)Mental Health (840)

Quick Facts

Study Type

Cross-Sectional

Evidence

Preliminary Evidence

Sample

N=101

What This Study Found

Researchers interviewed 101 male Indigenous Australian inmates about their cannabis use and what motivated them to quit. Current users averaged 12.3 cones per day and were more likely to have had juvenile legal problems and lower school achievement.

The most powerful motivators for quitting were incarceration and family responsibilities. Employment responsibilities and negative self-image, which are common motivators in non-Indigenous populations, were rarely cited.

The findings suggest that cessation programs for Indigenous communities may work better when built around kinship responsibilities and social cohesion rather than emphasizing individual harm.

Key Numbers

101 participants; mean consumption of 12.3 cones/day; current users had significantly more juvenile legal problems and younger school departure (p < 0.05)

How They Did This

Cross-sectional study of 101 consenting male Indigenous Australian inmates. Researchers used the Marijuana Problems Inventory and both quantitative and qualitative questions about demographics, criminal history, drug use, and cessation influences.

Why This Research Matters

Most cannabis cessation research comes from urban, non-Indigenous populations where life events like marriage and employment drive quitting. This study reveals that culturally specific motivators exist, and programs designed for one population may not translate to another.

The Bigger Picture

Cannabis cessation programs are not one-size-fits-all. Cultural context shapes what motivates people to quit, and effective interventions need to align with the values and social structures of the communities they serve.

What This Study Doesn't Tell Us

The sample was entirely male and incarcerated, limiting generalizability. Self-reported data may be subject to recall bias. The study did not track actual cessation outcomes, only reported motivators.

Questions This Raises

?Would community-based programs built around family and kinship responsibilities reduce cannabis use in Indigenous Australian communities?
?How do cessation motivators differ for Indigenous women?

Trust & Context

Key Stat:: 12.3 cones/day average consumption among current users
Evidence Grade:: Single cross-sectional study with a small, specific population. Identifies motivators but cannot confirm whether programs based on them would succeed.
Study Age:: Published in 2015. Cultural dynamics and cannabis availability in remote Indigenous communities may have shifted.
Original Title:: Lifetime influences for cannabis cessation in male incarcerated indigenous australians.
Published In:: Journal of psychoactive drugs, 47(2), 117-24 (2015)
Authors:: Jacups, Susan, Rogerson, Bernadette(2)
Database ID:: RTHC-00987

Evidence Hierarchy

Meta-Analysis / Systematic Review

Randomized Controlled Trial

Cohort / Case-Control

Cross-Sectional / ObservationalSnapshot without intervening

This study

Case Report / Animal Study

A snapshot of a population at one point in time.

What do these levels mean? →

Frequently Asked Questions

Why were employment and self-image not strong motivators?

In remote Indigenous communities with different social paradigms, individual achievement markers like employment carry less weight than collective responsibilities such as family and kinship obligations.

How much cannabis were participants using?

Current users averaged 12.3 cones per day, which is considered heavy use. Many also used other substances.

Cite This Study

RTHC-00987·https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00987

APA

Jacups, Susan; Rogerson, Bernadette. (2015). Lifetime influences for cannabis cessation in male incarcerated indigenous australians.. Journal of psychoactive drugs, 47(2), 117-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2015.1014949

MLA

Jacups, Susan, et al. "Lifetime influences for cannabis cessation in male incarcerated indigenous australians.." Journal of psychoactive drugs, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2015.1014949

RethinkTHC

RethinkTHC Research Database. "Lifetime influences for cannabis cessation in male incarcera..." RTHC-00987. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/jacups-2015-lifetime-influences-for-cannabis

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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.

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