None of the school cannabis disciplinary approaches studied were directly associated with student cannabis use, but students at supportive schools were more likely to perceive their school as helpful and less likely to use cannabis.
School administrators, education policymakers, parents
68,037 students across 131 Canadian schools
What the researchers found
Across 131 Canadian schools and 68,037 students, no school discipline style (permissive, authoritarian, etc.) was directly associated with cannabis use. However, students at permissive/supportive schools were more likely to perceive their school as supportive for substance use prevention, and students who perceived their school as supportive were less likely to use cannabis.
Why it matters
This was the first year after cannabis legalization in Canada. Understanding whether school discipline approaches affect student cannabis use has direct policy implications for how schools should respond.
The numbers in context
68,037 students; 131 Canadian secondary schools; grades 9-12; first school year after legalization
How the study worked
Cross-sectional analysis of school- and student-level data from Year 7 (2018/2019) of the COMPASS study. Schools were classified by administrator-reported disciplinary approaches to first-offense cannabis violations.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional design cannot establish causation. School classification based on administrator reports may not reflect actual implementation. One-year snapshot post-legalization.
How to read the evidence
Very large sample with school-level classification, but cross-sectional design and indirect pathway to cannabis use outcomes.
When this study was published
Published in 2022
The bigger picture
Punitive approaches to school cannabis policy may not reduce use, but supportive approaches that make students feel helped rather than punished appear to have an indirect protective effect through changing perceptions.
Questions still open
- Would longitudinal data show that supportive discipline reduces cannabis use over time? Do the indirect effects through perception translate into meaningful differences in use rates?
Common questions
Does strict school discipline reduce student cannabis use?
What school approach works best for cannabis prevention?
Read the original research
The Relations between Youth Cannabis Use, School Cannabis Use-Related Disciplinary Approaches and Student Perceptions of School Support.
Substance use & misuse, 57(6), 897-910
Citation
Magier, Megan J; Leatherdale, Scott T; Wade, Terrance J; Patte, Karen A. (2022). The Relations between Youth Cannabis Use, School Cannabis Use-Related Disciplinary Approaches and Student Perceptions of School Support.. Substance use & misuse, 57(6), 897-910. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2022.2052097
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