Pain Profiles among Young Adult Cannabis Users: An Analysis of Antecedent Factors and Distal Outcomes

Abstract

Background

Pain is a primary reason for medical cannabis use among young adults, however little is known about the patterns of pain in this group. This study identified pain profiles among young adult cannabis users and examined related antecedents and distal outcomes.

Methods

Past 30-day cannabis users aged 18–26, both medical cannabis patients and non-patients, were enrolled in Los Angeles in 2014–2015. A latent class analysis was used to identify pain classes based on history of chronic pain conditions and recent non-minor pain. The study assessed the predictors of membership in pain classes and examined the association of classes with recent mental health characteristics, cannabis use motives and practices.

Results

Three classes were identified: Low pain (56.3%), Multiple pain (27.3%), and Nonspecific pain (16.4%). In adjusted models, lifetime insomnia was associated with membership in Multiple pain and Nonspecific pain classes versus the Low pain class. Medical cannabis patients and Hispanics/Latinos were more likely to belong to the Multiple pain class than the other classes. Regarding recent outcomes, the Multiple pain and Nonspecific pain classes were more likely than the Low pain class to use cannabis to relieve physical pain. Additionally, the Multiple pain class had a higher probability of psychological distress, self-reported medical cannabis use, consuming edibles, and using cannabis to sleep compared to one or both other classes.

Conclusion

Findings suggest that young adult cannabis users can be separated into distinct groups with different pain profiles. The Multiple pain profile was associated with medically-oriented cannabis use motives and practices.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) [grants 1R01DA034067, 1R01DA034067-S1, 2R01DA034067]. The research presented in this manuscript is that of the authors and does not reflect the official policy of the National Institutes of Health.