Koren Hanson1, Kevin P Haggerty1, Charles B Fleming2, Martie L Skinner1, Mary Casey-Goldstein1, W Alex Mason3, Ronald W Thompson3, Cleve Redmond4. 1. Social Development Research Group, University of Washington School of Social Work, Seattle, Washington. 2. Center for the Study of Health and Risk Behaviors, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. 3. National Research Institute for Child and Family Studies, Boys Town, Nebraska. 4. Partnerships in Prevention Science Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: As legalization of nonmedical retail marijuana increases, states are implementing public health campaigns designed to prevent increases in youth marijuana use. This study investigated which types of marijuana-related messages were rated most highly by parents and their teens and whether these preferences differed by age and marijuana use. METHOD: Nine marijuana-focused messages were developed as potential radio, newspaper, or television announcements. The messages fell into four categories: information about the law, general advice/conversation starters, consequences of marijuana use/positive alternatives, and information on potential harmful effects of teen marijuana use. The messages were presented through an online survey to 282 parent (84% female) and 283 teen (54% female) participants in an ongoing study in Washington State. RESULTS: Both parents and youth rated messages containing information about the law higher than other types of messages. Messages about potential harms of marijuana use were rated lower than other messages by both generations. Parents who had used marijuana within the past year (n = 80) rated consequence/positive alternative messages lower than parent nonusers (n = 199). Youth marijuana users (n = 77) and nonusers (n = 202) both rated messages containing information about the law higher than other types of messages. Youth users and nonusers were less likely than parents to believe messages on the harmful effects of marijuana. CONCLUSIONS: The high ratings for messages based on information about the marijuana law highlight the need for informational health campaigns to be established as a first step in the marijuana legalization process.
OBJECTIVE: As legalization of nonmedical retail marijuana increases, states are implementing public health campaigns designed to prevent increases in youth marijuana use. This study investigated which types of marijuana-related messages were rated most highly by parents and their teens and whether these preferences differed by age and marijuana use. METHOD: Nine marijuana-focused messages were developed as potential radio, newspaper, or television announcements. The messages fell into four categories: information about the law, general advice/conversation starters, consequences of marijuana use/positive alternatives, and information on potential harmful effects of teen marijuana use. The messages were presented through an online survey to 282 parent (84% female) and 283 teen (54% female) participants in an ongoing study in Washington State. RESULTS: Both parents and youth rated messages containing information about the law higher than other types of messages. Messages about potential harms of marijuana use were rated lower than other messages by both generations. Parents who had used marijuana within the past year (n = 80) rated consequence/positive alternative messages lower than parent nonusers (n = 199). Youth marijuana users (n = 77) and nonusers (n = 202) both rated messages containing information about the law higher than other types of messages. Youth users and nonusers were less likely than parents to believe messages on the harmful effects of marijuana. CONCLUSIONS: The high ratings for messages based on information about the marijuana law highlight the need for informational health campaigns to be established as a first step in the marijuana legalization process.
Authors: Randy W Elder; Ruth A Shults; David A Sleet; James L Nichols; Robert S Thompson; Warda Rajab Journal: Am J Prev Med Date: 2004-07 Impact factor: 5.043
Authors: Martie L Skinner; Kevin P Haggerty; Mary Casey-Goldstein; Ronald W Thompson; Laura Buddenberg; W Alex Mason Journal: Subst Use Misuse Date: 2016-10-21 Impact factor: 2.164
Authors: Nicole Eisenberg; Tiffany M Jones; Rick Kosterman; Jennifer A Bailey; Jungeun Olivia Lee; Kevin P Haggerty Journal: J Child Fam Stud Date: 2019-01-16