| Current work suggests that the presence of "craving" may be a significant indicator of problematic substance use. Nevertheless, little work has examined how cannabis users experience and develop craving. Most relevant studies focus on samples in treatment. Previous work suggests that cues for marijuana might activate outcome expectancies that contribute to the development of craving. The present study sought to test whether an olfactory marijuana cue would create changes in expectancy, mood, and craving in a non-treatment seeking sample representing both users and non-users. Unlike control cues, olfactory cues for marijuana increased perceptions of the likelihood of marijuana-induced positive outcomes and self-reported craving in both users and non-users. Future work is necessary to identify who among those who report "craving" go on to develop problems, and to determine whether changes in craving are indicative of problematic use of cannabis. |
