Loading…

Protocol - Motives - Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Substances - Cannabis

Add to My Toolkit
Description

The Comprehensive Marijuana Motives Questionnaire (CMMQ) Short Form includes 15 self-administered items. Each item is scored on a five-point Likert-style scale ranging from 1 (almost never/never) to 5 (almost always/always).  

Specific Instructions

When there is a specific interest in assessing medical cannabis use, the PhenX Substance Use and Recovery Working Group (WG) recommends that “cannabis” or “marijuana” could be replaced with “medical cannabis” to specifically ask about cannabis for medical use. 

Protocols may include terms and language that could be triggering to respondents. Investigators are encouraged to have resources in place to help respondents cope with triggers as needed.

Terminology related to substances, substance use, and recovery is fluid. Updates in protocol language may be appropriate based on circumstance. Suggestions for revision have been offered to update answer responses or other components of the questionnaires to account for the constantly changing landscape. These suggestions have not been tested or validated in research studies but may be considered by investigators to enhance relevance.

Availability

This protocol is freely available; permission not required for use.

Protocol

Comprehensive Marijuana Motives Questionnaire (CMMQ) Short Form


This is a list of reasons people sometimes give for using cannabis (aka marijuana, CBD, cannabinoids). Thinking of all the times you have used marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? Circle the most appropriate answer for each item.


1. Because it is there

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


2. To help you sleep

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


3. Because you didn’t want to be the only one not doing it

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


4. For pain relief

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


5. To see what it felt like

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


6. To forget your problems

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


7. To enjoy the effects of it

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


8. To improve symptoms or manage the effects of a health problem

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


9. Because you wanted something to do

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


10. Because it relaxes you when you are in an insecure situation

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


11. Because you were drunk

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


12. To replace the use of another drug or medication

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


13. Because it was a special occasion

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


14. Because it is safer than drinking alcohol

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always


15. So you can look at the world differently

1[ ]= Almost Never/Never

2[ ]= Some of the time

3[ ]= Half of the time

4[ ]= Most of the time

5[ ]= Almost Always/Always

Personnel and Training Required

None

Equipment Needs

None

Requirements
Requirement CategoryRequired
Major equipment No
Specialized training No
Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection No
Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual Yes
Mode of Administration

Self-administered questionnaire

Lifestage

Adult, Senior

Participants

18 years or older

Selection Rationale

The Comprehensive Marijuana Motives Questionnaire (CMMQ) Short Form is a brief, self-administered questionnaire that is easy to score and is based on a validated instrument that has demonstrated reliability.   

Language

English

Standards
StandardNameIDSource
Derived Variables

None

Process and Review

Not Applicable

Protocol Name from Source

Comprehensive Marijuana Motives Questionnaire (CMMQ) Short Form

Source

Dowd, A. N., Zamarripa, C. A., Sholler, D. J., Strickland, J. C., Goffi, E., Borodovsky, J. T., Weerts, E. M., Vandrey, R., & Spindle, T. R. (2023). A cross-sectional survey on cannabis: Characterizing motives, opinions, and subjective experiences associated with the use of various oral cannabis products. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 245, 109826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109826

General References

Lee, C. M., Neighbors, C., Hendershot, C. S., & Grossbard, J. R. (2009). Development and preliminary validation of a comprehensive marijuana motives questionnaire. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 70(2), 279-287. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2009.70.279

Martin-Willett, R., Elmore, J. S., Phillips, P. X., & Bidwell, L. C. (2024). Meaningfully characterizing cannabis use for research and clinical settings: A comprehensive review of existing measures and proposed future directions. Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 34(1), 82-93. https://doi.org/10.5152/pcp.2024.23645

Protocol ID

520507

Variables
Export Variables
Variable Name Variable IDVariable DescriptiondbGaP Mapping
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Because_Didnt_Want_Tobe_Only_Not_Doing
PX520507030000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? Because you didn't want to be the only one not doing it show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Because_It_Is_There
PX520507010000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? Because it is there show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Because_Relaxes_When_In_Insecure_Situation
PX520507100000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? Because it relaxes you when you are in an insecure situation show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Because_Safer_Than_Drinking
PX520507140000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? Because it is safer than drinking alcohol show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Because_Special_Occasion
PX520507130000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? Because it was a special occasion show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Because_Want_Something_Todo
PX520507090000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? Because you wanted something to do show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Because_Were_Drunk
PX520507110000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? Because you were drunk show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Can_Look_At_World_Differently
PX520507150000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? So you can look at the world differently show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Enjoy_Effects
PX520507070000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? To enjoy the effects of it show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Forget_Problems
PX520507060000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? To forget your problems show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Improve_Symptoms_Manage_Health_Problem
PX520507080000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? To improve symptoms or manage the effects of a health problem show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Pain_Relief
PX520507040000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? For pain relief show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_Replace_Use_Another_Drug_Medication
PX520507120000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? To replace the use of another drug or medication show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_See_What_Felt_Like
PX520507050000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? To see what it felt like show less
N/A
PX520507_Motives_Alcohol_Tobacco_And_Other_Substances_Cannabis_Used_Marijuana_To_Help_Sleep
PX520507020000 Thinking of all the times you have used more
marijuana, how often would you say that you use for each of the following reasons? To help you sleep show less
N/A
Substance-specific Intermediate Phenotypes
Measure Name

Motives - Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Substances

Release Date

May 8, 2025

Definition

Instruments used separately to assess the motives (reasons) for drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, or using drugs.

Purpose

The purpose of this measure is to assess motives (reasons) for drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, or using drugs, by asking the respondent questions about his/her thoughts and motivations for such actions.

Keywords

substance use, cannabis, Marijuana Motives Questionnaire, MMQ, Comprehensive Marijuana Motives Questionnaire, CMMQ, drug use, medicinal cannabis, addiction, tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, cannabidiolCBD

Measure Protocols
Protocol ID Protocol Name
520501 Motives - Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Substances - General
520502 Motives - Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Substances - Specific - Alcohol
520504 Motives - Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Substances - Specific - Tobacco
520506 Motives - Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Substances - Specific - Drugs
520507 Motives - Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Substances - Cannabis