Confirming Savoring’s Link to Fewer Cannabis Problems

ABSTRACT

Savoring has covaried inversely with cannabis problems and moderated the association between cannabis use and negative consequences related to use. Research has not yet addressed the acceptability of savoring interventions for cannabis users. The present study aimed to replicate the finding of savoring as a protective factor against problems for cannabis users. The second aim of the study was to examine preferences for a savoring intervention among problem-endorsing cannabis users. We sampled 447 (63.3% female) problem users who self-reported cannabis use, cannabis problems, savoring beliefs, and preferences for cannabis use interventions. On average, our sample reported using cannabis 4.7 days per week and 16.03 times per month, with men endorsing significantly more cannabis-related problems than women. Savoring did increase as problems decreased, but the moderator effect did not replicate. Problem cannabis users preferred a savoring intervention to a typical harm reduction intervention across all sampled demographics, with one notable exception: women were 1.73 times more likely to prefer a savoring intervention. Our findings confirmed that cannabis problems decrease as savoring increases and identified a preference for a savoring intervention among problem users.

KEYWORDS:

• Savoring
• cannabis
• cannabis problems
• mindfulness
• harm reduction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.