Ethnic Discrimination and Minority Stress Drive Cannabis Use Problems in Hispanic/Latinx Adults
Among 521 Hispanic/Latinx cannabis users, both perceived ethnic discrimination and negative emotional reactivity to minority stress independently predicted greater cannabis use problems and barriers to reducing use.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Perceived ethnic discrimination and negative emotional reactivity to minority stress each independently predicted higher cannabis use problems and greater perceived barriers to cannabis reduction. Minority stress also predicted enhancement, social, coping, and expansion motives for use, while discrimination predicted conformity motives. No interaction effects were found.
Key Numbers
521 Hispanic/Latinx adults with past-month cannabis use. Both discrimination and minority stress independently predicted use problems and reduction barriers. Effects ranged from small to medium. No interactive effects.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional survey of 521 Hispanic/Latinx adults (mean age 36.5, 55% male) with past-month cannabis use, recruited through Qualtrics Panels, examining culturally relevant predictors of cannabis use processes.
Why This Research Matters
Hispanic/Latinx cannabis use is increasing, but research rarely addresses culturally specific factors. This study shows that experiences of discrimination and minority stress — not just individual factors — drive problematic cannabis use in this population.
The Bigger Picture
Addressing cannabis use problems in minority populations requires understanding the role of discrimination and structural inequity. Standard substance use interventions that ignore these cultural factors may be less effective for Hispanic/Latinx individuals.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design — discrimination may not cause cannabis problems. Online panel recruitment may not represent all Hispanic/Latinx cannabis users. Self-reported measures.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would interventions addressing discrimination experiences reduce cannabis use problems?
- ?Should cannabis treatment programs for Hispanic/Latinx individuals incorporate minority stress frameworks?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Novel focus on culturally relevant predictors with appropriate controls, but cross-sectional design and online panel recruitment limit generalizability.
- Study Age:
- Recent study addressing a significant gap in understanding culturally specific cannabis use factors in the growing Hispanic/Latinx population.
- Original Title:
- Perceived Ethnic Discrimination and Negative Emotional Reactivity to Minority Stress: Association with Cannabis Use Processes Among United States Hispanic/Latinx Adults.
- Published In:
- Cannabis (Albuquerque, N.M.), 8(3), 38-55 (2025)
- Authors:
- Zvolensky, Michael J(8), Clausen, Bryce K, Jones, Ava A(2), Castillo-Avilés, Rodrigo, Thai, Jessica M, Shepherd, Justin M, Bogiaizian, Lucas, Redmond, Brooke Y, Garey, Lorra
- Database ID:
- RTHC-08056
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does discrimination affect cannabis use?
Yes — this study found that perceived ethnic discrimination independently predicted more cannabis use problems and greater barriers to reducing use among Hispanic/Latinx adults.
Why do minority stress factors matter for cannabis treatment?
People experiencing discrimination and minority stress use cannabis for different reasons (coping, conformity) and face different barriers to reducing use. Treatment programs that address these factors may be more effective.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-08056APA
Zvolensky, Michael J; Clausen, Bryce K; Jones, Ava A; Castillo-Avilés, Rodrigo; Thai, Jessica M; Shepherd, Justin M; Bogiaizian, Lucas; Redmond, Brooke Y; Garey, Lorra. (2025). Perceived Ethnic Discrimination and Negative Emotional Reactivity to Minority Stress: Association with Cannabis Use Processes Among United States Hispanic/Latinx Adults.. Cannabis (Albuquerque, N.M.), 8(3), 38-55. https://doi.org/10.26828/cannabis/2025/000335
MLA
Zvolensky, Michael J, et al. "Perceived Ethnic Discrimination and Negative Emotional Reactivity to Minority Stress: Association with Cannabis Use Processes Among United States Hispanic/Latinx Adults.." Cannabis (Albuquerque, 2025. https://doi.org/10.26828/cannabis/2025/000335
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Perceived Ethnic Discrimination and Negative Emotional React..." RTHC-08056. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/zvolensky-2025-perceived-ethnic-discrimination-and
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.