Over Half of Adolescent Marijuana Users Had Tried to Quit and Failed, but Most Programs Were Seen as Ineffective | Research

The takeaway

Among 842 high-risk students, 70% were current marijuana users, over half had tried to quit and failed, and while interest in quitting was high, students had little confidence in cessation programs and believed self-help or punishment were more effective.

Read this if you work with at-risk youth and want to understand the barriers to adolescent marijuana cessation.

Over half of adolescent marijuana users had tried to quit and failed

What the researchers found

Researchers surveyed 842 students at eleven continuation high schools in southern California about marijuana use and cessation using both questionnaires and focus groups.

Approximately 70% were current marijuana users. Interest in quitting was high, and over half of users had tried to quit at least once and failed. However, students expressed little confidence in the effectiveness of formal marijuana cessation programs.

Students believed either self-help approaches or punitive methods (legal consequences, school discipline) were the most effective cessation strategies. Several positive social images remained associated with marijuana use, which competed with motivations to quit.

The reasons for continuing use centered on stress relief, while motivations for wanting to quit included legal consequences, vocational concerns, and health effects. The high rate of failed quit attempts suggested that effective cessation programs were genuinely needed, even as students doubted their value.

Why it matters

This study revealed a gap between adolescent desire to quit marijuana and their ability to do so successfully, while also showing that existing programs were not meeting their needs. The finding that stress relief was the primary reason for continued use pointed to the need for alternative coping strategies in cessation programs.

The numbers in context

842 students across 11 schools. 70% current marijuana users. Over 50% had tried to quit and failed. Self-help and punitive methods viewed as most effective.

How the study worked

Mixed-methods study with open-ended and multiple-choice surveys plus health educator-led focus groups. Two separate samples from eleven continuation high schools in southern California. Total N=842.

What this study cannot tell us

Continuation high school students represent a specific high-risk population. Self-reported data without verification. The belief that punitive methods work does not necessarily mean they do. Focus groups may amplify dominant opinions.

How to read the evidence

A mixed-methods study with a large sample from a specific population. Provides rich qualitative and quantitative data but limited to continuation school students.

When this study was published

Published in 1999. Adolescent cannabis cessation approaches have evolved, but program engagement remains a challenge.

The bigger picture

The disconnect between wanting to quit and being able to quit, combined with distrust of formal programs, highlighted a significant gap in adolescent substance use services. This study influenced the development of youth-specific cannabis cessation programs that addressed stress management and practical concerns.

Questions still open

Why do adolescents trust self-help over professional programs? Could school-based programs that address stress management improve quit rates? Do the positive social images of marijuana use undermine cessation efforts?

Common questions

Do teens want to quit marijuana?

Yes. Interest in quitting was high, and over half had already attempted it. The barrier was not motivation but lack of effective support and strategies.

Why do they keep using?

Stress relief was the primary reason for continued use. Motivations for quitting included legal, vocational, and health concerns.

Read the original research

Factors in marijuana cessation among high-risk youth.

Journal of drug education, 29(4), 337-57

View on PubMed ↗

Citation

Weiner, M D; Sussman, S; McCuller, W J; Lichtman, K. (1999). Factors in marijuana cessation among high-risk youth.. Journal of drug education, 29(4), 337-57.