Tracking Why People Use Cannabis Over Time Could Help Personalize Addiction Interventions

What the researchers found

Latent transition analysis across four studies identified that transitions into or remaining in latent classes characterized by multiple cannabis use motives predicted adverse outcomes including cannabis use disorder. This pattern held across different data collection frequencies (daily, monthly, yearly, biennial).

Why it matters

Most cannabis interventions are static, offering the same approach regardless of how someone's relationship with cannabis evolves. This study shows that monitoring changes in why people use cannabis -- not just how much -- could identify when someone is shifting toward riskier patterns, enabling interventions to adapt in real time.

The numbers in context

Total sample across four studies: approximately 9,098 participants. Data collection ranged from daily to biennial. Transitions into or staying in multi-motive classes predicted future adverse outcomes across all frequency levels.

How the study worked

Secondary analysis of four studies with varying data collection frequencies: Medical Cannabis Certification Cohort (n=801, biannual), Cannabis Health and Young Adults Project (n=359, annual), Monitoring the Future Panel (n=7,851, biennial), and Text Messaging Study (n=87, daily). Latent transition analysis with random intercepts was applied across all datasets.

What this study cannot tell us

Secondary analysis of existing datasets that were not specifically designed for this purpose. The four studies used different populations, measures, and timeframes, making direct comparisons challenging. The daily data study had a very small sample (n=87).

How to read the evidence

Moderate: innovative analytical approach replicated across four diverse datasets, but relies on secondary analysis with heterogeneous measures and populations.

When this study was published

2024 study.

The bigger picture

Adaptive interventions -- treatments that change based on how a patient is doing -- represent the next frontier in addiction medicine. This study provides the motivational framework needed to trigger those adaptations: when someone starts using cannabis for more reasons, it signals escalating risk.

Questions still open

• What is the optimal frequency for monitoring cannabis use motives in clinical settings? Can mobile health tools effectively track motive transitions in real time to trigger adaptive interventions?

Common questions

Read the original research

Latent transition analysis of time-varying cannabis use motives to inform adaptive interventions.

Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 38(7), 759-771

Citation

West, Brady T; Ma, Yongchao; Lankenau, Stephen; Wong, Carolyn F; Bonar, Erin E; Patrick, Megan E; Walton, Maureen A; McCabe, Sean Esteban. (2024). Latent transition analysis of time-varying cannabis use motives to inform adaptive interventions.. Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 38(7), 759-771. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0001012

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