The article, “Cannabis Use Differences Among Sexual Minority Versus Heterosexual Females and Males in Oklahoma: The Roles of Mental Health, Cannabis Perceptions, and Cannabis Marketing Exposure,” has been published in SAj.
In this commentary, the authors state that despite the high cannabis use rates among sexual minority (SM) individuals, less research has examined factors related to cannabis use among SM (vs. heterosexual) individuals, especially in places with legal medical cannabis retail markets and high structural stigma, like Oklahoma.
In the AUTHORS’ OWN WORDS, they relate the importance of their work:
“Although elevated rates of cannabis use among SM individuals are evident, less is known about the range of factors that may be associated with cannabis use and use severity among SM, relative to heterosexual adults. Moreover, research on SM cannabis use is lacking in places with legal cannabis retail markets, high structural stigma, and pronounced SM substance use, like Oklahoma. This work is critical to inform public health efforts aimed at reducing cannabis use among this vulnerable population, particularly as further cannabis legalization across the United States is likely. To identify factors associated with differences in cannabis use among SM versus heterosexual individuals, the current study examined associations between sexual identity and potential cannabis-related factors (i.e., perceived harm to health, positive cannabis perceptions, cannabis marketing exposure, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms). We then examined associations of sexual identity and these cannabis-related factors with cannabis use and use severity (i.e., any past 30-day use, daily/near-daily use, CUD symptoms). Based on the aforementioned literature, we hypothesized that SM (vs. heterosexual) individuals would display greater odds for current cannabis use, daily/near-daily cannabis use, and CUD symptoms. Moreover, SM (vs. heterosexual) individuals were expected to report lower cannabis-related harm perceptions and greater positive attitudes toward cannabis; a greater proportion of SM individuals was expected to report cannabis marketing exposure, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. Lower harm perceptions, greater positive attitudes, marketing exposure, and depressive and anxiety symptoms were hypothesized to predict greater odds of each cannabis-related outcome.”
“The current study examined differences in a range of potential cannabis-related factors and behaviors among SM and heterosexual adults in Oklahoma. SM (vs. heterosexual) females reported higher rates of cannabis use, whereas SM (vs. heterosexual) females and males reported higher rates of daily/near-daily cannabis use. Among females, findings may be related to cannabis marketing exposure (for past 30-day and daily/near-daily use) and harm perceptions (past 30-day use), whereas past 30-day cannabis use among males may be related to depressive symptoms. With future replication, findings highlight important potential targets for reducing cannabis-related disparities among SM, relative to heterosexual females and males, respectively, living in places with legal medical cannabis retail markets, high structural stigma, and pronounced substance use. Public health campaigns aimed at correcting misinterpretations of harm that could emanate from marketing efforts by the cannabis industry may help reduce cannabis use among SM females, whereas SM males may be better reached by intervention efforts targeting mental health symptoms, as well as large-scale interventions that attend to the unjust social conditions that perpetuate stigma and discrimination related to sexual identity.”