The role of bias-based bullying in regular cannabis use among adolescents

Studies show bias-based bullying and harassment compromise health for youth with minoritized identities, and heavy/regular use of cannabis has implications for adolescent brain development. We examined how regular cannabis use varied by experiences of bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression (SOGIE) or race and ethnicity, and social positions. Data came from 8th, 9th, and 11th graders completing the 2022 Minnesota Student Survey (N = 82,933). Students reported past 30 day cannabis use (3-5 times or more versus fewer/none), social positions (i.e., sexual, gender, racial, and ethnic identities, grade, access to resources), and race- and SOGIE-based bullying in the past 30 days (any versus none). Exhaustive Chi-square automatic interaction detection identified combinations of five social positions and bias-based bullying associated with the highest prevalences of regular cannabis use for each grade. Results indicated that across grades, cannabis use was 50-68 % lower among youth in social positions with the highest prevalence of frequent cannabis use when they were not the targets of bias-based bullying compared to youth with the same social positions who were targets of bias. For example, 18 % of 8th graders who had low access to resources; identified as American Indian, Alaska Native, or multiracial; and who experienced SOGIE-based bullying engaged in regular cannabis use, compared to 6.8 % prevalence for youth with the same identities who did not report bias-based bullying. Future research that examines bias-based bullying as a potential mechanism in adolescent cannabis use is warranted, particularly among youth with multiple minoritized identities.