Cannabis Careers Reconsidered: Transitions and Trajectories of Committed Long-Term Users

Despite the cross-culturally persistent high prevalence of cannabis use in general adult populations, in-depth analyses of extended use careers are uncommon in the scientific literature. This paper reports on in-depth interviews conducted with 104 users living in Toronto, Canada. A pretested questionnaire developed for use in a larger, cross-national study guided data collection on use levels and frequency from the first year to most recent month of use. The data support a controlled drug use model, with aggregate intake eventually decreasing and becoming stable or more moderate over time. Four main career patterns are identified and compared on measures of dependence and levels of consumption in the year prior to the study. In comparison with those whose long-term use has varied, stable users report fewer cannabis-related problems, despite using more heavily and frequently. While dependency problems are highly subjective, transitions in use patterns more generally reflect personal contingencies of lifestyle.