Social effects of marijuana use in a recreational setting.
T F Babor, J H Mendelson, B Uhly, J C Kuehnle
International Journal of the Addictions August 1978 DOI: 10.3109/10826087809039315 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 26 |
| Population | Adult male volunteers with a prior history of moderate or heavy marijuana use |
| Intervention | Marijuana cigarettes |
| Duration | 21-day period of free access |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Moderate users averaged 2.6 marijuana cigarettes per day and showed acute and persistent decrements in social interaction across the 21-day access period, while heavy users averaged 5.7 cigarettes per day but displayed fewer social reactions. The authors suggest marijuana inhibits social interaction in moderate users, with behavioral tolerance possibly mitigating the effect in heavy users. |
Abstract
Adult male volunteers with a prior history of either moderate (N = 12) or heavy (N = 14) marijuana use were systematically observed before, during, and after a 21-day period of free access to marijuana cigarettes. Data relevant to social interaction and recreational preferences were collected at hourly intervals. Moderate users consumed an average of 2.6 cigarettes per day and showed both acute and persistent (21-day) decrements in social interaction. Heavy users consumed 5.7 cigarettes per day but indicated fewer social reactions. The results suggested that marijuana inhibits social interaction in moderate users but behavioral tolerance in heavy users may mitigate this effect.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis People with first episode of psychosis and healthy controls from the local population | 2009 | Case-control study | n = 454 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study Individuals from the general population in Germany aged 14-24 at baseline | 2011 | Observational cohort | n = 1,923 |
| Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: follow-up study of 535 incident cases Patients treated for cannabis-induced psychotic symptoms in Denmark between 1994 and... | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 535 |