ADHD symptoms in college students predict continued cannabis use but not new initiation
Among 4,270 French university students, higher ADHD symptom scores predicted continued cannabis use one year later, but only among those already using cannabis, not new initiators.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Higher ASRS scores were associated with greater probability of cannabis use after one year (OR 1.24 for occasional use, OR 1.43 for frequent use). Among students who had never used cannabis, ADHD symptoms did not predict initiation. Among those who had used cannabis before, ADHD symptoms predicted continued and more frequent use.
Key Numbers
4,270 participants. Among all students: OR 1.24 for occasional use, OR 1.43 for frequent use. Among never-users: OR 1.15 (not significant). Among prior users: OR 1.17 (occasional), OR 1.35 (frequent).
How They Did This
Longitudinal cohort study from the French i-Share cohort. 4,270 university students (2,135 never-users and 2,135 prior users) assessed with the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale at baseline, with cannabis use frequency evaluated one year later.
Why This Research Matters
This distinction between initiation and continuation matters for prevention. ADHD symptoms appear to perpetuate cannabis use in those already using rather than drive new users to start.
The Bigger Picture
If ADHD symptoms maintain cannabis use rather than cause initiation, interventions targeting cannabis cessation in students with ADHD may be more productive than broad prevention messaging.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported ADHD symptoms, not clinical diagnoses. French university students may not generalize to other populations. One-year follow-up may miss longer-term patterns. Cannabis use frequency self-reported.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does treating ADHD symptoms reduce cannabis use in this population?
- ?What specific ADHD symptoms most strongly predict continued use?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- ADHD symptoms predicted continuation (OR 1.35) but not initiation
- Evidence Grade:
- Large longitudinal cohort with one-year follow-up and validated ADHD screening tool.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022, cohort recruited 2013-2020.
- Original Title:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and cannabis use after one year among students of the i-Share cohort.
- Published In:
- European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists, 65(1), 1-18 (2022)
- Authors:
- Jean, François Arnaud Matthieu, Arsandaux, Julie, Montagni, Ilaria, Collet, Ophélie, Fatséas, Mélina, Auriacombe, Marc, Ramos-Quiroga, Josep Antoni, Côté, Sylvana M, Tzourio, Christophe, Galéra, Cédric
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03933
Evidence Hierarchy
Follows a group of people over time to track how outcomes develop.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do ADHD symptoms lead to cannabis use?
In this study, ADHD symptoms predicted continued cannabis use in those already using, but did not increase the likelihood of trying cannabis for the first time.
Are college students with ADHD more likely to use cannabis frequently?
Yes. Higher ADHD symptom scores were associated with 43% greater odds of using cannabis more than once a month at one-year follow-up.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03933APA
Jean, François Arnaud Matthieu; Arsandaux, Julie; Montagni, Ilaria; Collet, Ophélie; Fatséas, Mélina; Auriacombe, Marc; Ramos-Quiroga, Josep Antoni; Côté, Sylvana M; Tzourio, Christophe; Galéra, Cédric. (2022). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and cannabis use after one year among students of the i-Share cohort.. European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists, 65(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.14
MLA
Jean, François Arnaud Matthieu, et al. "Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and cannabis use after one year among students of the i-Share cohort.." European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.14
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and cannab..." RTHC-03933. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/jean-2022-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder
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.