Teens smoke marijuana to manipulate negative moods

A new study has demonstrated that adolescents and young adults who smoke marijuana on a regular basis might use the drug as a way to manipulate their negative moods.

The study recruited 40 people, ages 15 to 24, who used marijuana at least twice a week and they were trained to use a handheld computer that signaled them at a random time within three-hour intervals for two weeks. At each signal, participants were asked about their mood, companionship, perceived availability of marijuana, and recent marijuana use.

Participants were also asked to report just before and just after any marijuana use.

Researchers found that negative affect was significantly increased during the 24 hours before marijuana use compared with other periods. However, positive affect did not vary in the period before marijuana use compared with other times.

Study's lead author Lydia A. Shrier, M.D., M.P.H., of the division of adolescent and young adult medicine at Boston Children's Hospital, said that one of the challenges was that people often may used marijuana to feel better but may feel worse afterward and marijuana use could be associated with anxiety and other negative states.

The study identified mood that was occurring in the 24 hours before marijuana use and compared it with mood at other times.

The study is published in Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.