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A valid measure of the relative economic value of marijuana is needed to characterize individual variation in the drug's reinforcing value and inform evolving national marijuana policy. Relative drug value (demand) can be measured via purchase tasks, and demand for alcohol and cigarettes has been associated with craving, dependence, and treatment response. This study examined marijuana demand with a marijuana purchase task (MPT).

The 22-item self-report MPT was administered to 99 frequent marijuana users (37.4% female, 71.5% marijuana use days, 15.2% cannabis dependent).

Pearson correlations indicated a negative relationship between intensity (free consumption) and age of initiation of regular use (r = −0.34, p < 0.001), and positive associations with use days (r = 0.26, p < 0.05) and subjective craving (r = 0.43, p < 0.001). O_max (maximum expenditure) was positively …