Adolescents with minoritized identities who experienced bullying based on their identity used cannabis at rates 50-68% higher than peers with the same identities who were not bullied.
School counselors, youth substance use prevention specialists, equity-focused educators, public health researchers
What the researchers found
Among 82,933 Minnesota students, regular cannabis use prevalence was dramatically higher among youth with minoritized identities who experienced bias-based bullying compared to peers with the same identities who did not. For example, 18% of 8th graders who had low resources, identified as American Indian/Alaska Native/multiracial, and experienced SOGIE-based bullying used cannabis regularly, versus 6.8% of similar youth without bullying. This 50-68% reduction in cannabis use among non-bullied youth held across grades.
Why it matters
This reframes adolescent cannabis use as partially driven by discrimination experiences rather than purely individual risk factors. It suggests that anti-bullying interventions could have downstream effects on substance use, particularly for youth with multiple minoritized identities.
The numbers in context
82,933 students; cannabis use 50-68% lower among non-bullied youth with same identities; 18% vs 6.8% among 8th graders who were AI/AN/multiracial with low resources and SOGIE bullying vs without
How the study worked
Cross-sectional analysis of the 2022 Minnesota Student Survey (8th, 9th, and 11th graders, N=82,933). Used exhaustive CHAID (Chi-square automatic interaction detection) to identify combinations of social positions and bullying experiences associated with highest cannabis use prevalence.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional design cannot establish causality. Self-report data. Minnesota-specific sample may not generalize nationally. Binary bullying measure (any vs none) does not capture severity or frequency.
How to read the evidence
Moderate: very large sample with sophisticated statistical methods, but cross-sectional design and single state.
When this study was published
2025 study using 2022 survey data
The bigger picture
Substance use prevention typically focuses on individual decision-making. This research suggests that structural factors like bias-based bullying create environments that drive cannabis use among the most marginalized youth.
Questions still open
- Would anti-bullying interventions measurably reduce cannabis use among targeted youth?
- Do these patterns hold for other substances or primarily cannabis?
Read the original research
The role of bias-based bullying in regular cannabis use among adolescents.
Addictive behaviors, 170, 108441
Citation
Gower, Amy L; Watson, Ryan J; Pieczykolan, Lauren Love; Eisenberg, Marla E. (2025). The role of bias-based bullying in regular cannabis use among adolescents.. Addictive behaviors, 170, 108441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108441
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