An Exploratory Investigation of Marijuana and Other Drug Careers

Abstract

In-depth interviews and a qualitative methodology are used to examine the drug careers of a nonrandom sample of 31 current or former marijuana smokers. Three user typologies were developed to describe the complex development of marijuana careers over time: Druggies, Weekend Warriors, and Grown-ups. Druggies and Weekend Warriors tend to use marijuana (and alcohol) fairly heavily during the early phases of their careers; Druggies pass this stage quickly and eventually move on to harder drugs and periods of chronic substance abuse. Gradual assumption of adult identities and roles allow Weekend Warriors to moderate their marijuana (and other drug use), which steadily declines throughout the remainder of their careers. Grown-ups tend to use marijuana and all drugs moderately during the beginning phases of their careers, eschew experimentation with harder drugs, and generally progress to very controlled use of marijuana and other intoxicants (or abstinence) in the later stages of their careers. The social process of using marijuana teaches the majority of users to quit or how to integrate its use into a lifestyle that can reasonably be described as normal or conventional. Lastly, two future directions for drug career research are suggested.

Keywords:

• cannabis careers
• cannabis use
• drug careers
• illicit drug use
• marijuana careers
• marijuana use