Exploring Postsecondary Students’ Therapeutic Motives for Cannabis Use: A Qualitative Study

Canadian postsecondary students indicate high rates of cannabis use and often report therapeutic motives—using cannabis to manage mental or physical health. In quantitative studies using postsecondary student samples, therapeutic cannabis motives have been associated with more frequent and problematic cannabis use; however, these findings do not offer insight into the subjective experiences and underlying context influencing how and why postsecondary students use cannabis to manage specific aspects of their health. As such, this qualitative study explored postsecondary students’ therapeutic motives for cannabis use and factors that may influence these motives. Participants were 14 emerging adult postsecondary students in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, who reported using cannabis to manage their health and well-being. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and transcripts underwent an inductive thematic analysis. Students in this study described using cannabis to manage stress, reduce anxiety, slow thoughts, and regulate emotions. Cannabis was also used to improve sleep, reduce pain, and manage nausea and appetite. While students discussed using cannabis to manage their mental health, they often expressed uncertainty about whether cannabis ameliorated or worsened their psychological well-being. Students also highlighted factors associated with increased cannabis use, including intensity of health symptoms and academic pressure. The results highlight that Canadian postsecondary students use cannabis to manage diverse health concerns, often in ways not supported by clinical evidence. These findings may be relevant to healthcare professionals, as a better understanding of postsecondary students’ cannabis motives may assist in the identification, prevention and treatment of problematic cannabis use. Further, the results indicate that postsecondary students require education on the potential harms of cannabis, as well as increased access to healthcare and alternative coping strategies for mental health and stress management.