Cannabis Use Among US Adolescents

Area of Science:

• Adolescent development
• Cannabis use and mental health
• Psychosocial indicators

Background:

• Adolescence is a critical developmental stage.
• Limited data exists on dose-dependent cannabis use effects on adolescent psychosocial development, especially for infrequent users.
• Understanding these associations is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the dose-dependent relationship between cannabis use frequency and psychosocial development indicators in adolescents.
• To identify specific adverse outcomes associated with varying levels of cannabis consumption.
• To inform public health strategies regarding adolescent cannabis use.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study utilizing a nationally representative sample of US 8th, 10th, and 12th graders (2018-2022).
• Participants categorized into nonuse, noncurrent, monthly, weekly, and near-daily cannabis use groups.
• Demographically adjusted odds ratios and effect sizes calculated for psychosocial indicators.

Main Results:

• Over 26% of 162,532 students reported cannabis use.
• Noncurrent and monthly cannabis users showed increased odds of poor academic performance, impulsivity, self-regulation issues, and adverse emotional states compared to nonusers.
• A dose-response trend was observed for most adverse psychosocial outcomes, with younger users (<16 years) exhibiting greater susceptibility.

Conclusions:

• Dose-dependent associations between cannabis use frequency and adverse academic/emotional functioning are evident in adolescents, even with monthly use.
• These findings underscore the importance of routine cannabis use screening in adolescent healthcare.
• Early intervention and prevention efforts are critical to mitigate negative psychosocial impacts.