Differences in Cannabis and Cannabidiol Attitudes, Perceptions, and Behaviors Between US Adolescents Receiving Mood Disorder Treatment and Their Parents Across Legal Contexts

Christopher J. Hammond (), Mary A. Fristad, Yoon Ji Moon, Melissa M. Batt, Richard Dopp, Neera Ghaziuddin, Leslie Hulvershorn, Jarrod M. Leffler, Manpreet K. Singh, Aimee E. Sullivan, Sally Weinstein and Leslie Miller
Additional contact information
Christopher J. Hammond: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
Mary A. Fristad: Division of Child & Family Psychiatry, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
Yoon Ji Moon: Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Melissa M. Batt: Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
Richard Dopp: Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48331, USA
Neera Ghaziuddin: Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48331, USA
Leslie Hulvershorn: Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Jarrod M. Leffler: Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
Manpreet K. Singh: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
Aimee E. Sullivan: Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
Sally Weinstein: Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Leslie Miller: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 10, 1-23

Abstract: Dramatic shifts in state-level cannabis laws (CLs) and federal hemp regulations have resulted in increased availability and use of cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) products throughout the US, with unknown implications for the youth. Youth with mood disorders represent a vulnerable population that is more likely to use cannabis and CBD and is at elevated risk for experiencing cannabis-related adverse health outcomes. This multisite study characterized attitudes, health perceptions, and behaviors related to cannabis and CBD use among US youth receiving mood disorder treatment and their parents, and assessed whether attitudinal differences varied as a function of respondent group and state-level CL status. Anonymous surveys were completed by 84 youths and 66 parents recruited from six child mood clinics providing care to patients living in eleven US states with variable CLs. Covariate-adjusted regressions were run using respondent group and state-level CL status as between-subject factors. Most youths (76% and 74%) and parents (65% and 68%) endorsed believing that cannabis and CBD, respectively, are safe and effective treatments for mental health conditions, and that regular use of these products reduces depression, anxiety, and suicidal behaviors. Intergenerational differences in cannabis-related attitudes and health perceptions were observed, with some associations varying as a function of state-level CL. Among the youth, male sex and positive cannabis expectancies and attitudes were associated with higher cannabis use intentions. Findings can inform prevention and public health messaging efforts.

Keywords: cannabis; cannabidiol; adolescents; parents; mood disorders; attitudes; perceptions; expectancies; cannabis use intentions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/10/1576/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/10/1576/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:10:p:1576-:d:1772672

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().