Teens with PTSD or anxiety experienced greater positive mood boost from cannabis use

Using ecological momentary assessment over 21 days following psychiatric discharge, cannabis use among adolescents was associated with higher positive affect and lower anger/irritability but not with negative affect. The positive affect boost was stronger among youth diagnosed with PTSD or generalized anxiety disorder. Concurrent use of other drugs dramatically increased the odds of cannabis use (OR=27.63).

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) over 21 days with 62 adolescents (ages 13-18, 64.5% female) discharged from inpatient psychiatric hospitalization for suicidal thoughts and behaviors who reported ever using cannabis. Clinical interviews conducted during hospitalization.

Understanding why psychiatrically vulnerable adolescents use cannabis in real-time contexts helps identify intervention targets. The finding that cannabis may be used to enhance positive emotions rather than escape negative ones shifts the clinical conversation.

If high-risk adolescents use cannabis primarily to boost positive emotions, interventions focused on alternative positive affect strategies may be more effective than those targeting negative affect reduction.

Small sample of psychiatrically hospitalized youth limits generalizability. Self-reported cannabis use in real-time may still underestimate actual use. 21-day assessment window captures only early post-discharge period.