Generalized Anxiety in Teens Was the Strongest Predictor of Starting Cannabis Use
Among 2,508 Chilean adolescents, generalized anxiety symptoms were the only mental health factor that independently predicted both starting cannabis use and using more frequently over 18 months.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers followed 2,508 ninth-graders from low-income schools in Santiago, Chile, for 18 months. Cannabis use was remarkably common: 40.3% reported using at least once during the study period.
When examining which mental health symptoms predicted future cannabis use, depression, panic, and generalized anxiety all showed initial associations with greater cannabis use frequency. However, when all were tested simultaneously, only generalized anxiety symptoms remained independently significant.
Generalized anxiety increased the odds of using more frequently (OR = 1.23) and increased the risk of transitioning from non-user to user by 25% (OR = 1.25). Social anxiety and panic were not independently predictive once generalized anxiety was accounted for.
Key Numbers
2,508 adolescents from 22 schools. 40.3% used cannabis at least once over 18 months. Generalized anxiety: OR = 1.23 for use frequency, OR = 1.25 for transitioning to use. Social anxiety and panic were not independently predictive.
How They Did This
Longitudinal cohort study of 2,508 participants (45% female, mean age 14.5 years) from 22 low-income secondary schools in Santiago, Chile. Baseline mental health was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory and the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale. Cannabis use frequency was measured at baseline, 6 months, and 18 months. Adjusted analyses controlled for baseline cannabis use.
Why This Research Matters
This study supports the self-medication hypothesis specifically for generalized anxiety in adolescents. Rather than depression or panic driving cannabis initiation, it appears that the chronic worry and tension characteristic of generalized anxiety most specifically predicts cannabis uptake, suggesting that teaching teens adaptive anxiety management could prevent cannabis initiation.
The Bigger Picture
Prevention programs typically target drug education and refusal skills. This study suggests that treating adolescent anxiety, particularly generalized anxiety, may be a more effective upstream approach to preventing cannabis use. Teens may reach for cannabis not because of peer pressure but because they are trying to manage chronic worry.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Conducted in low-income schools in Santiago, Chile, which may limit generalizability. Self-reported cannabis use may be underestimated. The 18-month follow-up is relatively short. The study does not establish that anxiety caused cannabis use, only that it predicted it. Cultural factors may influence both anxiety expression and cannabis attitudes.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would treating generalized anxiety in teens reduce cannabis initiation?
- ?Does cannabis actually relieve generalized anxiety, or does it worsen it over time?
- ?Are these findings replicable in other cultural contexts?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Generalized anxiety increased the risk of starting cannabis by 25% in teens over 18 months.
- Evidence Grade:
- Strong evidence from a large, prospective longitudinal study with appropriate statistical controls and a meaningful follow-up period.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2016. The relationship between anxiety and cannabis use continues to be actively studied.
- Original Title:
- Anxiety, depression and risk of cannabis use: Examining the internalising pathway to use among Chilean adolescents.
- Published In:
- Drug and alcohol dependence, 166, 109-15 (2016)
- Authors:
- Stapinski, Lexine A(2), Montgomery, Alan A(2), Araya, Ricardo(2)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01271
Evidence Hierarchy
Follows a group of people over time to track how outcomes develop.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do anxious teens use more cannabis?
This study found that generalized anxiety specifically predicted greater cannabis use and higher risk of starting cannabis. Depression, social anxiety, and panic were not independently predictive when analyzed together.
Does cannabis help with anxiety?
This study found that anxiety predicted cannabis use, suggesting teens may use it to cope with worry. However, the study did not measure whether cannabis actually reduced anxiety, and other research suggests it may worsen anxiety over time.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- anxiety-leaving-house-weed-withdrawal-agoraphobia
- anxiety-response-technique-weed-withdrawal
- anxiety-toolkit-weed-withdrawal
- anxiety-worse-after-quitting-weed
- breathing-exercises-weed-withdrawal-anxiety
- cannabis-induced-anxiety
- does-weed-help-anxiety
- grounding-techniques-weed-withdrawal
- health-anxiety-weed-withdrawal
- manage-anxiety-without-weed
- quitting-weed-anxiety-disorder
- quitting-weed-anxiety-medication-ssri
- self-medicating-anxiety-with-weed
- therapy-quitting-weed-anxiety
- weed-and-anxiety
- weed-biphasic-effect-anxiety
- weed-generalized-anxiety-disorder
- weed-panic-attacks
- weed-paranoia
- weed-social-anxiety
- weed-tolerance-anxiety-stopped-working
- weed-withdrawal-anxiety
- weed-withdrawal-panic-attacks-night
- weed-withdrawal-work-anxiety
- withdrawal-anxiety-vs-real-anxiety
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01271APA
Stapinski, Lexine A; Montgomery, Alan A; Araya, Ricardo. (2016). Anxiety, depression and risk of cannabis use: Examining the internalising pathway to use among Chilean adolescents.. Drug and alcohol dependence, 166, 109-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.06.032
MLA
Stapinski, Lexine A, et al. "Anxiety, depression and risk of cannabis use: Examining the internalising pathway to use among Chilean adolescents.." Drug and alcohol dependence, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.06.032
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Anxiety, depression and risk of cannabis use: Examining the ..." RTHC-01271. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/stapinski-2016-anxiety-depression-and-risk
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.