 |
|
Wife Influences Husband's Marijuana Use During First Year of Marriage
July 21, 2005BUFFALO, N.Y. - While it's the husband among newlywed couples who has more influence on whether the couple engages in heavy drinking, it's the wife who appears to be in the driver's seat when it comes to determining her husband's marijuana use, according to researchers at the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions (RIA).
Results showed that in the first year of marriage for 20-somethings, husbands are more likely to start or resume smoking marijuana if their wives smoke marijuana. Husbands also are more likely to stop smoking marijuana if their spouses do not smoke. The reverse is not true in either case; husbands do not seem to influence their wives' marijuana smoking.
Kenneth E. Leonard, Ph.D., principal investigator on the study, is a senior research scientist at RIA as well as a research professor in the Department of Psychiatry in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Since 1990, he has studied couples recruited while applying for marriage licenses at Buffalo City Hall.
Gregory G. Homish, Ph.D., RIA research associate, is Leonard's co-investigator. The research is funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
The researchers collected data from 634 couples, 471 of whom provided data before marriage, at their first anniversary and at their second anniversary. The current study revealing a wife's influence on her husband's marijuana use was based on couples in which the average age of husbands was 29 and that of wives was 27.
Leonard noted that the first year of marriage, which can be viewed as a transition into marriage, has been found to have unique characteristics in the primary relationship between husband and wife, the couples' relationships with friends and their substance use.
"Substance use tends to decline as individuals progress through their 20s," Leonard added. "This may be a part of the maturing process, but it also reflects periods of transition in life, such as marriage with its increased responsibilities."
"In this study, we found that the prevalence of marijuana use decreased for both men and women over the first year of marriage. For men, use decreased from about 25 percent to 21 percent from the year before marriage through the first year of marriage, and for women over the same period, from 20 percent to 14 percent."
In addition, they found it was common that individuals who smoked marijuana were married to other marijuana users.
"We identified one direction of influence, that is, wives influenced their husbands' initiation of marijuana use, but husbands did not influence wives' use," Leonard noted.
One potential explanation for this is that marriage alters the relationship dynamic in couples, providing more influence to women after marriage than before. According to Leonard, this raises the possibility that after marriage, wives press for changes in their husbands' behavior, and husbands, in the interest of maintaining harmony and avoiding conflict, may change in response to their wives' expectations.
Although wives appear to influence husbands' marijuana use, wives do not necessarily have that influence in other areas of the relationship. Previous research by Leonard and colleagues found that husbands' drinking influenced wives' drinking during the first year of marriage. However, from the first to second year, wives' drinking influenced husbands' drinking.
Another explanation for the gender difference with marijuana may be the patterns of socializing before and after marriage. Leonard suggests that social patterns before marriage may be more influenced by husbands and patterns after marriage more influenced by wives. Consequently, availability, opportunities and norms regarding marijuana use that are present in the social network may impact on the members of the couples.
"For both social drinking and smoking marijuana, wives influence husbands' use from the first to second anniversary," Leonard said. "Although wives influence husbands' marijuana use from before marriage to the first anniversary, they did not influence husbands' heavy alcohol use during that period."
Leonard concluded that smoking marijuana may be viewed as less acceptable and, therefore, wives may seek to exert an influence earlier in the relationship. Determining when the line has been crossed from social drinking (generally considered acceptable) into heavy drinking (considered less acceptable) on the other hand, may be more difficult. This interpretation suggests that wives may tend to provide the limits for acceptable behavior in the relationship and the timing for that influence is early in the development of the marriage.
One cautionary note: The researchers said their findings may not generalize to other young adults who use drugs and are not married.
The research was published in the spring issue of the Journal of Drug Issues.
The Research Institute on Addictions has been a leader in the study of addictions since 1970 and a research center of the University at Buffalo since 1999.
The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State University of New York.
University at Buffalo
Gregory G. Homish, Ph.D., RIA research associate, is Leonard's co-investigator. The research is funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
The researchers collected data from 634 couples, 471 of whom provided data before marriage, at their first anniversary and at their second anniversary. The current study revealing a wife's influence on her husband's marijuana use was based on couples in which the average age of husbands was 29 and that of wives was 27.
Leonard noted that the first year of marriage, which can be viewed as a transition into marriage, has been found to have unique characteristics in the primary relationship between husband and wife, the couples' relationships with friends and their substance use.
"Substance use tends to decline as individuals progress through their 20s," Leonard added. "This may be a part of the maturing process, but it also reflects periods of transition in life, such as marriage with its increased responsibilities."
"In this study, we found that the prevalence of marijuana use decreased for both men and women over the first year of marriage. For men, use decreased from about 25 percent to 21 percent from the year before marriage through the first year of marriage, and for women over the same period, from 20 percent to 14 percent."
In addition, they found it was common that individuals who smoked marijuana were married to other marijuana users.
"We identified one direction of influence, that is, wives influenced their husbands' initiation of marijuana use, but husbands did not influence wives' use," Leonard noted.
One potential explanation for this is that marriage alters the relationship dynamic in couples, providing more influence to women after marriage than before. According to Leonard, this raises the possibility that after marriage, wives press for changes in their husbands' behavior, and husbands, in the interest of maintaining harmony and avoiding conflict, may change in response to their wives' expectations.
Although wives appear to influence husbands' marijuana use, wives do not necessarily have that influence in other areas of the relationship. Previous research by Leonard and colleagues found that husbands' drinking influenced wives' drinking during the first year of marriage. However, from the first to second year, wives' drinking influenced husbands' drinking.
Another explanation for the gender difference with marijuana may be the patterns of socializing before and after marriage. Leonard suggests that social patterns before marriage may be more influenced by husbands and patterns after marriage more influenced by wives. Consequently, availability, opportunities and norms regarding marijuana use that are present in the social network may impact on the members of the couples.
"For both social drinking and smoking marijuana, wives influence husbands' use from the first to second anniversary," Leonard said. "Although wives influence husbands' marijuana use from before marriage to the first anniversary, they did not influence husbands' heavy alcohol use during that period."
Leonard concluded that smoking marijuana may be viewed as less acceptable and, therefore, wives may seek to exert an influence earlier in the relationship. Determining when the line has been crossed from social drinking (generally considered acceptable) into heavy drinking (considered less acceptable) on the other hand, may be more difficult. This interpretation suggests that wives may tend to provide the limits for acceptable behavior in the relationship and the timing for that influence is early in the development of the marriage.
One cautionary note: The researchers said their findings may not generalize to other young adults who use drugs and are not married.
The research was published in the spring issue of the Journal of Drug Issues.
The Research Institute on Addictions has been a leader in the study of addictions since 1970 and a research center of the University at Buffalo since 1999.
The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State University of New York.
University at Buffalo
Marijuana Use Current Events and Marijuana Use News RSSTeen attitudes toward smoking linked to likelihood of drinking and using drugs
New research by Weill Cornell Medical College researchers looks at the specific ways parents and peers influence teenagers to smoke, drink and use marijuana in combination.
Marijuana rivals mainstream drugs for HIV/AIDS symptoms
Those in the United States living with HIV/AIDS are more likely to use marijuana than those in Kenya, South Africa or Puerto Rica to alleviate their symptoms.
Adolescent Risk-Taking Has Major Consequences When It Comes To Marriage
A national study of data collected over 12 years finds that delinquent teens marry earlier than their peers, while substance-abusing teens -- especially girls who abuse marijuana -- marry later than peers, if at all.
Marijuana smoking increases risk of COPD for tobacco smokers
Smoking both tobacco and marijuana increases the risk of respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Smoking only marijuana, however, was not associated with increased risks.
Marijuana use linked to increased risk of testicular cancer
Frequent and/or long-term marijuana use may significantly increase a man's risk of developing the most aggressive type of testicular cancer, according to a study by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The study results were published online Feb. 9 in the journal Cancer.
Heavy marijuana use may damage developing brain in teens, young adults
Adolescents and young adults who are heavy users of marijuana are more likely than non-users to have disrupted brain development, according to a new study.
Success of anti-meth ads questioned by study
An independent review investigating the effectiveness of a publicly funded graphic anti-methamphetamine advertising campaign has found that the campaign has been associated with many negative outcomes.
UGA program to deter youth alcohol use also reduces conduct problems, study finds
A University of Georgia program designed to reduce alcohol use, drug use and risky sexual behavior in African-American youth also reduces the likelihood of engaging in conduct problems by up to 74 percent two years later, according to a new study.
Black girls who use marijuana engage in riskier sex, have higher STD rate
Black girls who use marijuana are more likely to engage in risky sexual acts and contract a sexually transmitted disease, a new study finds.
Schizophrenia linked to dysfunction in molecular brain pathway activated by marijuana
Alterations in a molecular brain pathway activated by marijuana may contribute to the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
More Marijuana Use Current Events and Marijuana Use News Articles
 |
Marijuana Medical Handbook: Practical Guide to Therapeutic Uses of Marijuana by Dale Gieringer (Author), Ed Rosenthal (Author), Gregory T. Carter M.D. (Adapter) An estimated 40 million Americans have medical symptoms that marijuana can relieve. Marijuana Medical Handbook is a one-stop resource that gives candid, objective advice on using marijuana for healing, understanding its effects on the body, safe administration, targeting illnesses, side effects, and the various delivery methods from edibles and tinctures to smokeless vaporizer pipes. The book also details supply issues, cultivation solutions (in a chapter by renowned expert Ed Rosenthal), and legal consequences. This thoroughly revised edition incorporates the most up-to-date information on the ever-changing politics of marijuana, the plant's usage, and medical research on it. |
 |
Drugs Abuse and Drug Use-2 DVD Set - Marijuana, Tobacco, Heroin, Coffee, LSD and More Also With: www.yumheart.com (Producer) Narcotics: Pit of Despair (Parts I&II) 1967 13:44 14:51 Dark vision of drug use. * The Terrible Truth 1951 10:03 Early film on marijuana use. * Opium Destruction, San Francisco 1914 2:14. * Distant Drummer: Flowers of Darkness 1972 22:12. Traces the history of opium and heroin. * Day In The Death Of Donny B. 1969 14:10. Docudrama, Cinema-Verite style, which follows a junkie on his never-ending quest for money, and ultimately, his fix. * Drug Abuse: The Chemical Tomb 1969. Interesting anti-drug film criticizing drug use as an inhibitor of necessary social change. * Drug Addiction 1951 21:02. Classic 'slippery slope' narrative of post-World War II stoned slackerdom. * Subject: Narcotics 1951 21:01. Produced for police orientation and training.. * The Pharmacist 1946 9:37. Career... |
 |
Doug Benson 2 Also With: MTVN (Producer) |
 |
BMV Quantum Subliminal CD End Addiction (Ultrasonic Peak Health Series) Program your subconscious mind to end addiction to foreign substances (alcohol, alcoholism, drug substance abuse, prescription drugs, cocaine, marijuana, opium, heroin, etc). Stop addictive thoughts, reduce withdrawal symptoms and quit being an addict forever! Exclusive state-of-the-art subliminal & brainwave entrainment technologies that you can use to program your subconscious mind for positive lasting results, created by a Certified Hypnotherapist and NLP Practitioner (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). Silent affirmations, hypnotic suggestions and thousands of powerful subliminal messages program your subconscious mind for positive results. The first 3 tracks have an ocean background. The Silent Ultrasonic Track 4 is completely silent with no sound at all! BMVs exclusive Quantum... |
 |
The Cannabis Grow Bible: The Definitive Guide to Growing Marijuana for Recreational and Medical Use by Greg Green (Author) This guide offers methods for growers who want to maximize the yield and potency of their crop. It explains the "Screen of Green" technique that gives a higher yield using fewer plants, an important development for American growers who, if caught, are penalized according to number of plants. The Cannabis Grow Bible is an authoritative source that features almost 200 color and black-and-white photographs, charts, and tables. With an emphasis on the day-to-day aspects of maintaining a garden and European expertise, this book ensures that growers will enjoy a successful harvest. |
 |
At Home Drug Test - Marijuana. Contains One Single Use Device 1 ea by Phamatech The first step in the process to detect the following drug of abuse in urine. |
|
Compassionate Use of Marijuana [VHS] Starring: Retrospective on Medical Use O | |
|
How the Use of Marijuana Was Criminalized and Medicalized, 1906-2004: A Foucaultian History of Legislation in America by Jeffrey M. London (Author) | |
 |
Marijuana the Myth DVD Directed By: Robert Hernandez Marijuana drug education video. (Covers much more than just marijuana!) Many kids hear that "Marijuana is natural" or "Marijuana is an herb" or "Marijuana can't HURT you" or "Marijuana only stays in your system for thirty days". Is this REALLY true? How long does marijuana stay in your body? What are the REAL effects of Marijuana on your health? Show your kid "Marijuana the Myth" to help prevent drug use and drug abuse. Up-to-date drug information to help your kid understand why and how drug use and drug abuse can destroy a person's life. Parents can learn vital drug information such as how to spot signs and symptoms of drug use and what parents can do if they find out their kid has a drug use and drug abuse problem. Get your Marijuana the Myth DVD today. |
 |
Is Marijuana the Right Medicine for You?: A Factual Guide to Medical Uses of Marijuana by Bill Zimmerman (Author), etc. (Author), Rick Bayer (Author), Nancy Crumpacker (Author) Knowledge of marijuana's medicinal properties is not new - Queen Victoria used it to alleviate period pains - but now, after many years of disinterest on the part of the medical establishment, demand is growing for wider official use of the drug. Among the qualities claimed for it are pain relief (especially for people suffering from spinal injuries and chronic muscle spasms), appetite stimulation, and relief from the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and glaucoma. In this book, three doctors describe each type of condition that marijuana can alleviate, explain recent scientific research, and provide practical information on the best ways to take it. |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |