Why do young sexual and gender minority men use cannabis for mental health?
Interviews with 50 young sexual and gender minority men in Vancouver revealed cannabis use was deeply intertwined with mental health management, including coping with anxiety during sex, substituting for harder drugs, and self-treating depression, though some experienced adverse effects.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Three themes emerged: (1) cannabis was used to cope with mental health symptoms during sexual encounters and to replace riskier drugs in chemsex practices; (2) cannabis was used instrumentally to alleviate depression and trauma-related symptoms; (3) some participants experienced adverse effects including paranoia and concerns about dependence.
Key Numbers
50 participants; ages 15-30; interviews conducted over 12 months in Vancouver, Canada; 3 major themes identified
How They Did This
Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 50 sexual and gender minority men aged 15-30 in Vancouver, Canada, conducted January-December 2018. Thematic analysis applied to interview data.
Why This Research Matters
Sexual and gender minority men face elevated rates of both substance use and mental health challenges. Understanding why this population uses cannabis, including as a harm reduction strategy for harder drug use, is essential for developing appropriate support services.
The Bigger Picture
The finding that some participants used cannabis to replace methamphetamine and MDMA in chemsex contexts reframes cannabis use from a simple risk behavior to a potential harm reduction strategy. This complicates one-size-fits-all prevention messages.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Qualitative design with a single city sample. Self-selected participants may not represent all SGM men. Cannot establish causal relationships between cannabis use and mental health outcomes.
Questions This Raises
- ?Should harm reduction programs formally support cannabis substitution for harder drugs among SGM men?
- ?How can mental health services better address the interconnected patterns of substance use, sexual health, and mental health in this population?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 50 participants interviewed
- Evidence Grade:
- Qualitative study providing rich contextual data but cannot establish generalizable patterns or causal relationships.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021 with data from 2018; cannabis legalization in Canada may have shifted usage patterns.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis use and mental health among young sexual and gender minority men: A qualitative study.
- Published In:
- The International journal on drug policy, 91, 102980 (2021)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03408
Evidence Hierarchy
Uses interviews or focus groups to understand experiences in depth.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why did participants use cannabis during sex?
Participants reported using cannabis to cope with anxiety, sexual trauma-related stress, and other mental health symptoms that arose during sexual encounters.
Did cannabis replace harder drugs?
Some participants reported substituting cannabis for methamphetamine and MDMA in chemsex settings to reduce harms like drug-induced psychosis and impaired ability to consent.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03408APA
Parent, Natasha; Coulaud, Pierre-Julien; Amirie, Muhamed; Ferlatte, Olivier; Knight, Rod. (2021). Cannabis use and mental health among young sexual and gender minority men: A qualitative study.. The International journal on drug policy, 91, 102980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102980
MLA
Parent, Natasha, et al. "Cannabis use and mental health among young sexual and gender minority men: A qualitative study.." The International journal on drug policy, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102980
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis use and mental health among young sexual and gender..." RTHC-03408. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/parent-2021-cannabis-use-and-mental
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.