Objectives:

To identify and describe the evidence regarding the meanings adolescents attribute to marijuana use.

Methodology:

A qualitative meta-synthesis of the literature guided by the methodology proposed by Sandelowski and Barroso. Qualitative studies published between 2018 and 2023 in English, Spanish and Portuguese were included. The search was conducted through the Virtual Health Library (VHL), PubMed, and databases such as the Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America and the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal (Redalyc), Epistemonikos, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, ProQuest Health & Medical, and ScienceDirect.

Results:

Nine qualitative studies and one mixed-methods study were included, enabling the identification of four main themes that led to the interpretation of three meanings among adolescents: the meaning of recreational marijuana use, the meaning of medical marijuana use, and negative perceptions of marijuana.

Conclusions:

The evidence provides a detailed overview of the meanings adolescents attribute to marijuana use. These findings contribute to a better understanding of marijuana consumption among adolescents and inform intervention components that can be incorporated into future prevention programs tailored to each identified meaning.

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