College Students' Attitudes, Thoughts, and Beliefs Towards Marijuana Use

Presenter Information

Kaley VanDenBerg, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Location

CSU Ballroom

Start Date

21-4-2008 10:00 AM

End Date

21-4-2008 12:00 PM

Student's Major

Psychology

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Emily Stark

Mentor's Department

Psychology

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

Previous research has found that people's attitudes towards marijuana differed based on whether or not they were heavy users of marijuana. People who were heavy users had attitudes based in their feelings about marijuana, whereas those who were lighter users had attitudes based in their thoughts and beliefs about marijuana, rather than their feelings. The current study examined the attitudes, thoughts, and feelings toward marijuana use of 150 college students. 65.3% of our participants had used marijuana at some time, and 20% of those had used in the past thirty days. Significant differences were found between the attitudes, thoughts, and feelings towards marijuana and its usage between users and non users. As predicted by previous research, those who have used marijuana, especially if they are a part of the 20% who have used in the past thirty days, are more likely to have positive feelings or experiences towards marijuana, and attitudes based in those positive feelings, compared to those who had not used. This study helps to understand the pattern of use of marijuana in college students, and how marijuana users think and feel about this behavior.