Understanding Drug Use Motivation: A New Look at a Current Problem

Personal beliefs, attitudes, and opinions regarding smoking marijuana were obtainedfrom 101 university students to test the ability of a revised social-psychological theory of behavioral intention to account for factors related to drug use motivation (smoking marijuana). A highly significant multiple correlation (R = .78, p < .001) was obtained between the theory's three components (Attitude toward the Act, Social Norm, and Moral Norm) and intentions to smoke marijuana. Also as predicted, beliefs regarding the perceived positive and negative consequences of smoking were shown to be significantly correlated (r = .69, p < .001) with an individual's attitude toward the act of smoking marijuana. Smokers and nonsmokers were shown to differ significantly on specific beliefs and values concerning the effects of marijuana. Implications of the present reconceptualization of drug use motivation for drug education and counselling approaches are discussed.