What Motivates Indigenous Australian Men to Quit Cannabis | Research

The takeaway

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.

Read this if you are interested in how cultural context shapes cannabis cessation or work in substance use program design.

12.3 cones/day average consumption among current users

What the researchers 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.

Why it 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 numbers in context

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 the study worked

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.

What this study cannot 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.

How to read the evidence

Single cross-sectional study with a small, specific population. Identifies motivators but cannot confirm whether programs based on them would succeed.

When this study was published

Published in 2015. Cultural dynamics and cannabis availability in remote Indigenous communities may have shifted.

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.

Questions still open

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?

Common 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.

Read the original research

Lifetime influences for cannabis cessation in male incarcerated indigenous australians.

Journal of psychoactive drugs, 47(2), 117-24

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

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