Cannabis use under prohibitionism – the interplay between motives, contexts and subjects

Figures & data

Figure 1. Participants’ motives for cannabis use according to position on two axes: scene/agent, recreation/medication.

Table 1. Motives for cannabis use identified in Flashback Forum thread.

Motive groups	Frequency (n)	Percent (%)	Examples of codes and extracts from Flashback Forum material
Recreational motives	66	44	Fun, relaxation, enhancement, intoxication (alternative to alcohol), free thinking/creativity
Medical motives	15	10	Improve sleep, reduce pain, handle depression/anxiety, improve appetite, medication for diagnosis (e.g. ADHD), substitution for other substances
Recreational and medical motives combined	63	42	“Pure recreational use, but above all to sleep better and to reduce my drinking.” “I become calmer, can sleep without unhealthy pills. I become happier, so I see it as an antidepressant, and it makes sex better.” “I use it for intoxication and to reduce my craving for harder drugs. The reduction of my chronic nerve and muscle pain is a nice bonus. […] I however enjoy the intoxication and would smoke even if there were no medical effects.” “For relaxation mentally and physically, for example stress, muscle relaxation, pain. To enhance experiences. Food, music etc. For a creative boost.”
No explicit motive	6	4
Total	150	100