Cannabis and Derived Cannabis Use, Motives, and Consequences Among US Young Adults: Findings From a Cross-Sectional Mediation Study

Background: Since the 2018 Agricultural Improvement Act, derived intoxicating cannabis products (DICPs) emerged as largely unregulated products; meanwhile, traditional cannabis use has increased. To inform effective prevention, research is needed to assess differences in motives for using cannabis only versus both cannabis and DICPs, as well as use-related consequences. Methods: We analyzed survey data (June-November 2023) from 4031 US young adults aged 18 to 34 (average age = 26.9; 63.9% white; 59.0% female; aiming for ~50% past-month cannabis use). The analytic sample included participants reporting past-month cannabis use (n = 1968). Two cross-sectional mediation models were conducted to examine: (1) cannabis use motives (social/cognitive enhancement and coping) in relation to use-related consequences (psychophysiological and sociobehavioral) via use category (cannabis-only vs cannabis-DICP co-use) and (2) consequences in relation to use category via use motives. Results: Overall, 54.4% reported cannabis-only use and 45.6% reported cannabis-DICP co-use. Greater enhancement and coping motives were associated with cannabis-DICP co-use (vs cannabis-only use). Regarding Model No. 1, lower cannabis coping motives and cannabis-DICP use (vs cannabis-only use) were associated with greater psychophysiological and sociobehavioral consequences, and the associations between coping and enhancement motives and psychophysiological and sociobehavioral consequences were indirectly mediated via cannabis-DICP co-use. For Model No. 2, lower psychophysiological and greater sociobehavioral consequences were associated with greater coping and enhancement motives, greater sociobehavioral consequences was associated with higher odds of cannabis-DICP co-use (vs cannabis-only use), and psychophysiological and sociobehavioral consequences were indirectly associated with cannabis-DICP co-use through enhancement and coping motives. Conclusions: Considering the risks associated with cannabis and DICP use, future intervention and prevention efforts should focus on the observed associations to reduce risk.