Social Media, Marijuana and Sex: An Exploratory Study of Adolescents’ Intentions to Use and College Students’ Use of Marijuana

Abstract

Recreational marijuana continues to be legalized in U.S. states, with popular media discussing connections between cannabis and the facilitation of sexual activity. We conducted two surveys with adolescents and college students in Washington state to examine the role of viewing social media and pro-marijuana content on sex-related marijuana expectancies and intentions to use. In Study 1, among adolescents (N = 350), we found connections between social media use, exposure to pro-marijuana content, and sexrelated marijuana expectancies, with boys' sex-related marijuana expectancies predicting intentions to use marijuana. In Study 2, we expanded this research to college students (N = 966), with the addition of frequency of marijuana use as an outcome. For men, sex-related marijuana expectancies were negatively associated with marijuana use. Sex-related marijuana expectancies were not associated with intentions to use or use of marijuana among adolescent girls and college women. Our findings highlight how social media use is associated with increased exposure to pro-marijuana content for adolescents and college students, and how such content is associated with sex-related marijuana expectancies. The mixed relationships in our data between sex-related marijuana expectancies and intentions and use highlight potential gender and developmental differences.

The impact of sexual scripts in brand‐generated cannabis social media posts on sex‐related cannabis expectancies: Does body appreciation moderate effects?

“…examination of specific perceptions of the content within the posts. Adolescents' and college students' perceptions of cannabis content as positively portraying use and relationship facilitation are associated with intentions to use cannabis, beyond time spent on social media [17]. Among college students, increased positive perceptions of cannabis content on social media are also associated with frequency of use indirectly through intentions [17,21].…”

“…Adolescents' and college students' perceptions of cannabis content as positively portraying use and relationship facilitation are associated with intentions to use cannabis, beyond time spent on social media [17]. Among college students, increased positive perceptions of cannabis content on social media are also associated with frequency of use indirectly through intentions [17,21]. This finding that perceptions of media content is associated with outcomes is also supported in other research; sex-related alcohol expectancies, which are beliefs about how alcohol can influence sexual activities and experiences, are impacted by exposure to sexualised alcohol ads through perceptions that the ads suggest alcohol facilitated sex [22].…”

“…The inconsistent findings of the associations between social media, Instagram and cannabis use (e.g., [2–5]), in part, could be due to the examination of exposure to cannabis promotions and messages more globally than an examination of specific perceptions of the content within the posts. Adolescents' and college students' perceptions of cannabis content as positively portraying use and relationship facilitation are associated with intentions to use cannabis, beyond time spent on social media [17]. Among college students, increased positive perceptions of cannabis content on social media are also associated with frequency of use indirectly through intentions [17, 21].…”

“…As such, we examine how exposure to and perceptions of cannabis brand-generated social media content that contains sexual objectification are associated with cannabis-related sex expectancies related to sexual enhancement (see Figure 1 for hypothesized model) and risk (see Figure 2 for hypothesized model) and whether body appreciation moderates the relationship. Sex-related cannabis expectancies are attitudes that one has about the use of cannabis prior to sex as impacting sexual activity and experiences, such as reducing inhibition or the likelihood of using contraception [17]. Although not specific to cannabis and sex-related expectancies, previous research has found that cannabis expectancies are predictive of cannabis use behaviours [18].…”

Associations Between Emotions, Social Media Use, and Sun Exposure Among Young Women: Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

“…Previous research has found different associations with tanning behaviors based on specific platforms [6]. A greater understanding of the specific content to which young people are exposed could help further explain effects beyond mere exposure, as previous research in other topic areas has found that perceptions of media messages may be influential among young people [66,67]. Future research also should continue to explore the relationship between social media and tanning behaviors among young women to further parse out the mechanisms through which effects occur and to continue to bolster prevention efforts.…”