Project Grant F31DA067059

The National Institute on Drug Abuse awarded George Washington University $100,228 on January 15, 2027, under the Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs (CFDA 93.279) to conduct research examining the mechanisms of intergenerational transmission of cannabis use and the role of state cannabis laws in that transmission process.

The research advances understanding of how family dynamics, parental cannabis use patterns, parenting behaviors related to use (including rule-setting and communication), and state-level legal status shape offspring cannabis use across generations. The study accounts for cannabis-specific factors often absent from prior intergenerational substance use literature: variation in legal status and consequences across states; the diversity of cannabis products (edibles, concentrates, vaporized forms); marketing claims emphasizing health benefits; and the restriction of public use in legalized states, which shapes where parents consume cannabis. The research also examines how parental perceptions of their own use differ when viewed through a parenting lens versus outside parenthood, and how use-related perceptions and expectancies vary by non-medical cannabis legal status. The overall objective is to reduce negative consequences of cannabis use across the lifespan and across generations.

Performance of performance is Washington, DC 20052. The period of performance runs from January 15, 2027, through August 31, 2029. The assistance type is a project grant.