KMAN Publication Inc. (KMANPUB) KMAN Counseling & Psychology Nexus 3041-9026 In Press 2027 01 01 Identifying Factors Influencing the Tendency Toward Cannabis Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults Based on Grounded Theory Identifying Factors Influencing the Tendency Toward Cannabis Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults Based on Grounded Theory 1 16 EN Journal Article 2026 07 14 <p>This study aimed to identify the factors influencing the tendency toward cannabis use among adolescents and young adults based on grounded theory. The present study employed a qualitative research design using a grounded theory approach. The target population consisted of all adolescents and young adults who used cannabis in Hashtgerd during 2025–2026. The sampling process initially began using purposive sampling and subsequently continued through snowball sampling. The criterion for determining the sample size was theoretical saturation. Following the emergence of conceptual categories after 17 interviews, theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was based on the method proposed by Corbin and Strauss (2014). The findings indicated that the tendency toward cannabis use among adolescents and young adults, as the core phenomenon, is shaped by a complex network of causal factors, overlooked strategies, and intervening contexts. The causal conditions, including individual and interpersonal factors, function as the primary drivers that create the motivation and conditions conducive to cannabis use. The intervening context, comprising environmental-economic and cultural-normative factors, strengthens or moderates this tendency and, as a set of contextual conditions, regulates the magnitude of the effects of the causal conditions. Meanwhile, overlooked strategies, such as the lack of preventive educational programs or misinformation regarding the effects of cannabis, as well as weaknesses in policymaking and the enforcement of deterrent laws, restrict opportunities for effective intervention and contribute to the persistence or intensification of the tendency toward cannabis use. Based on the findings, the design and implementation of a comprehensive multilevel intervention program in schools and local communities through collaboration among the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and nongovernmental organizations are recommended.</p> https://www.journals.kmanpub.com/index.php/psychnexus/article/download/6559/12197