Exploring the Relationships between Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Youth Synthetic Cannabinoid Use

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Sexual minorities face higher risks for synthetic cannabinoid (SC) use.
• The specific contributions of sexual orientation versus gender identity to this risk are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether sexual orientation or gender identity, or both, drive the association between sexual minority status and SC use.
• To inform targeted public health campaigns and clinical interventions for at-risk youth.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 31,279 youth in the 2015 and 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Study.
• Analyzed self-reported data on gender identity, sexual orientation, and SC use history.
• Employed bivariate analyses and logistic regression to assess associations.

Main Results:

• Identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning (LGBQ) was significantly associated with SC use and continued use.
• Identifying as transgender was also significantly associated with SC use and continued use.
• Regression analyses revealed no significant interactive effect between identifying as LGBQ and transgender on SC use likelihood.

Conclusions:

• Both sexual orientation and gender identity independently contribute to the elevated risk of SC use observed in sexual minorities.
• This association is potentially linked to increased experiences of discrimination, victimization, and social isolation.
• Clinical counseling for LGBTQ youth regarding SC dangers and social policy reforms to support this community are recommended.