title: Change in perceived risk associated with marijuana use in the United States from 2002 to 2012.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of a dynamic legal, medical, and social setting in affecting the perceived risk associated with smoking marijuana has not been well studied. We sought to determine whether there has been a change in the perceived risk associated with marijuana use over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted using the 2002-2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Respondents were asked to classify the risk of smoking marijuana. Regression analysis and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 614579 respondents were identified. Between 2002 and 2012, the percent of respondents who characterized regular marijuana use as being associated with "great risk" decreased from 51.3% to 40.3%, while the percent of respondents who characterized it as being associated with "no risk" increased from 5.7% to 11.7%. The percent of respondents who characterized occasional use as "great risk" decreased from 38.2% to 30.7%, while the percent of respondents who characterized it as "no risk" increased from 10% to 16.3%. There was a significant negative temporal trend in the perceived risk for both occasional and regular use of marijuana from 2002 to 2012 after controlling for age and gender (p < 0.001 for both). Increasing age was significantly associated with increased perceived risk for both occasional and regular marijuana use (p < 0.001). Males have a significantly lower perceived risk for regular marijuana use as compared with females (p < 0.001). Individuals who used marijuana during the preceding month reported a lower risk perception in both regular and occasional use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Between 2002 and 2012, there was a significant decrease in the perceived risk associated with occasional and regular marijuana use. Younger age, male gender, and past month use were also associated with decreased perceived risk.
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine , Philadelphia, PA , USA.
authors: Jolene
authors: J
authors: Okaneku
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Vearrier
authors: Rita G
authors: RG
authors: McKeever
authors: Gregory S
authors: GS
authors: LaSala
authors: Michael I
authors: MI
authors: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000201:enzymology / Q000523:psychology*; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cannabis; Epidemiology; Temporal trends