Persistent increased severity of cannabis use disorder symptoms in adolescents compared to adults: a one-year longitudinal study

Rachel Lees, William Lawn, Kat Petrilli, Amelia Brown, Katie Trinci, Anya Borissova, Shelan Ofori, Claire Mokrysz, H. Valerie Curran, Lindsey Hines, Tom Freeman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Adolescence is a developmental period characterised by increased vulnerability to cannabis use disorder (CUD). However, previous investigations of this vulnerability have relied on cross-sectional comparisons and lack a detailed assessment of cannabis quantity, a potentially important confounding factor. Here, we aimed to investigate the one-year course of CUD in adolescents compared to adults who currently use cannabis, adjusting for a comprehensive measure of cannabis quantity. Data are from a one-year observational longitudinal study (CannTeen) of adolescents and adults who currently used cannabis regularly with five waves of assessment at 3-monthly intervals, based in London, UK. Participants were n = 70 adults (26-29, 45.7% female), who did not regularly use cannabis when they were under age 18, and n = 76 adolescents (16-17, 50.0% female). The exposure was adolescent (compared to adult) frequent cannabis use. The primary outcome was CUD symptoms measured using the cannabis use disorder identification test revised (CUDIT-R) at five time points. Models were adjusted for cannabis quantity using mean weekly standard THC units (one unit = 5 mg THC). Other covariates included gender, and whether each session occurred before or during the COVID-19 pandemic. In models adjusted for pre-registered covariates, adolescents scored 3.7 points higher on the CUDIT-R compared to the adult group across the 5 assessment waves (3.66 95% CIs 1.99, 5.34). There was also evidence of a linear reduction in symptoms over time in both groups (-0.47, 95%CIs -0.67, -0.27). Adolescents had persistently increased CUD symptoms compared to adults across the 12-month period. This association was robust after adjusting for the quantity of cannabis consumed and other covariates.

Original languageEnglish
Number of pages10
JournalEuropean Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Early online date6 May 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 13 May 2024

Data Availability Statement

The participants of this study did not give written consent for their data to be shared publicly, so the research supporting data are not available.

Funding

Primary funding for the CannTeen study was supported by a grant from the Medical Research Council (MRC; award number MR/P012728/1) to HVC and TPF. This work was supported in part by grant MR/N0137941/1 for the GW4 BIOMED MRC DTP, awarded to the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter from the Medical Research Council (MRC)/UKRI.

FundersFunder number
UK Research and Innovation
Medical Research CouncilMR/N0137941/1, MR/P012728/1

Keywords

  • Adolescence
  • CannTeen
  • Cannabis use disorder
  • Longitudinal analysis
  • Standard THC units

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Pharmacology (medical)
  • Biological Psychiatry

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