Associations Between Parental Perceptions of Cannabis Use and Patterns of Use Among Undergraduate Students

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Abstract

The role of parental supervision, perceptions, and disciplining of youth substance use is an
important area of criminological research informed by social control, life course, and
developmental theories of deviant behavior. While cannabis use has historically been a
stigmatized issue, the expansion of medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries has led to a
shift in patterns of use and perceptions of these substances. Using survey data from a large
convenience sample (N = 872) of undergraduate students obtained from a large public university
in Pennsylvania, this research explores associations between how participants believe their
parents would react to knowing they use cannabis and their frequency of cannabis use, how they
obtain cannabis products, and what kinds of products they use, controlling for demographic
characteristics such as age, sex, and race/ethnicity. The findings from this research provide
important insight into patterns of substance use throughout the life course and the evolving role
of social controls following adolescence.

Author

• Anna Newell, The Pennsylvania State University