Cannabis Use Linked to Depression and Anxiety in Sexual Minority Young Men
Among sexual and gender minority young adults assigned male at birth, cannabis use was significantly associated with both depression and anxiety, alongside high overall rates of substance use.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Cannabis was among the most commonly used substances (alongside alcohol and tobacco) in this population. Cannabis use was significantly positively associated with both depression and anxiety in adjusted analyses. Alcohol was also associated with both outcomes, while methamphetamine was linked to depression and sedatives to anxiety.
Key Numbers
Cannabis, alcohol, and tobacco were the most used substances. Cannabis significantly associated with depression and anxiety. Adjusted analyses controlled for demographic variables.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial of a mobile health HIV testing intervention in the US. Linear regression adjusted for demographics examined associations between substance use and mental health outcomes among sexual and gender minority men.
Why This Research Matters
Sexual and gender minority individuals face documented health disparities, and understanding the specific substance-mental health connections in this population can inform targeted interventions.
The Bigger Picture
The high prevalence of substance use and mental health symptoms in this population reflects broader health inequities. Tailored interventions addressing both substance use and mental health simultaneously may be more effective than treating them separately.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine causation. Data from an HIV testing trial may not represent all SGM young adults. Cannot distinguish whether cannabis use caused, resulted from, or simply co-occurred with mental health symptoms.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does cannabis use worsen mental health in this population, or is it used as a coping mechanism?
- ?Would targeted interventions reduce both substance use and mental health symptoms?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Cannabis significantly associated with both depression and anxiety
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: clinical trial data with adjusted analyses, but cross-sectional measurement and specific population context
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025
- Original Title:
- Prevalence and Patterns of Substance Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults Assigned Male at Birth and Their Relationship With Mental Health Problems.
- Published In:
- AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education, 37(6), 397-412 (2025)
- Authors:
- Belloir, Joseph, Myers, Thomas, Scherr, Thomas, Almodovar, Michael, Kuhns, Lisa, Garofalo, Robert, Schnall, Rebecca
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06040
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is cannabis use more common among LGBTQ+ young adults?
Research consistently shows higher rates of substance use among sexual and gender minority populations compared to heterosexual peers. This study found high prevalence of cannabis, alcohol, and tobacco use in this group.
Does cannabis cause depression in this population?
This study found an association but cannot determine direction. Cannabis use may contribute to mental health symptoms, people with depression may use cannabis to cope, or both may share common causes like minority stress.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06040APA
Belloir, Joseph; Myers, Thomas; Scherr, Thomas; Almodovar, Michael; Kuhns, Lisa; Garofalo, Robert; Schnall, Rebecca. (2025). Prevalence and Patterns of Substance Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults Assigned Male at Birth and Their Relationship With Mental Health Problems.. AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education, 37(6), 397-412. https://doi.org/10.1521/aeap.2025.37.6.397
MLA
Belloir, Joseph, et al. "Prevalence and Patterns of Substance Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults Assigned Male at Birth and Their Relationship With Mental Health Problems.." AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1521/aeap.2025.37.6.397
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Prevalence and Patterns of Substance Use Among Sexual and Ge..." RTHC-06040. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/belloir-2025-prevalence-and-patterns-of
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.