What Research Says About Cannabis Use in Indigenous Communities
A scoping review of 152 studies found Indigenous populations have disproportionately higher cannabis use, with most research focused on prevalence rather than culturally appropriate interventions or legalization impacts.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Most of the 152 reviewed studies focused on prevalence and use patterns, followed by risk/protective factors and substance co-use correlations. Research on culturally appropriate interventions and cannabis legalization impacts in Indigenous communities was notably sparse.
Key Numbers
1,934 articles screened, 152 included. Most focused on youth, used quantitative methods, and discussed cannabis within broader substance use. Covered 2005-2020 literature.
How They Did This
Scoping review screening 1,934 articles published 2005-2020 on Indigenous populations and cannabis use in Canada and the US, with 152 systematically coded and analyzed.
Why This Research Matters
Indigenous communities face disproportionate cannabis-related harms alongside historical trauma and systemic barriers. Without culturally grounded research, policies and interventions may miss the mark or cause additional harm.
The Bigger Picture
Cannabis legalization is proceeding without adequate understanding of its specific impact on Indigenous communities. This review highlights the research gap and the need for community-led studies that center Indigenous perspectives and sovereignty.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Literature search ended February 2020, missing recent legalization impacts. Most included studies were not community-led. Scoping review methodology doesn't assess evidence quality.
Questions This Raises
- ?How has cannabis legalization specifically affected Indigenous communities in Canada and legal US states?
- ?What would culturally appropriate cannabis harm reduction look like?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Comprehensive scoping review of a large literature base, though limited by included studies' quality and the 2020 search cutoff.
- Study Age:
- Published recently but covers literature through early 2020 — post-legalization impacts need updated review.
- Original Title:
- Experiences, impacts, and perspectives of recreational cannabis use among Indigenous communities: A scoping review.
- Published In:
- Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 39(4), 354-364 (2025)
- Authors:
- Zentner, Daysi, Dobischok, Sophia, DeGrace, Sarah(2), Wen, Rou Angele, Wendt, Dennis C
- Database ID:
- RTHC-08029
Evidence Hierarchy
Analyzes all available research on a topic using a structured method.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do Indigenous communities have higher cannabis use?
Research suggests disproportionately higher use rates, but this should be understood in the context of historical trauma, socioeconomic factors, and systemic inequities rather than as an inherent cultural characteristic.
Are there cannabis programs designed for Indigenous communities?
Very few — this review found that culturally appropriate intervention research was notably sparse, highlighting a significant gap in addressing cannabis-related needs in these communities.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-08029APA
Zentner, Daysi; Dobischok, Sophia; DeGrace, Sarah; Wen, Rou Angele; Wendt, Dennis C. (2025). Experiences, impacts, and perspectives of recreational cannabis use among Indigenous communities: A scoping review.. Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 39(4), 354-364. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0001073
MLA
Zentner, Daysi, et al. "Experiences, impacts, and perspectives of recreational cannabis use among Indigenous communities: A scoping review.." Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0001073
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Experiences, impacts, and perspectives of recreational canna..." RTHC-08029. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/zentner-2025-experiences-impacts-and-perspectives
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.