Cannabis Use in Adolescence and Need for Higher Acuity of Psychiatric Care into Adulthood

Publications Category : Psychiatry

Author(s): Vanessa Sevilla, Roxanne Abella, Robert Suddath

Project Description : Objectives: Adolescence is a key stage for substance experimentation, including cannabis, which has become more accessible due to decriminalization policies. While research links cannabis use to psychiatric conditions, few studies examine its long-term impact on high-acuity mental health care. This study explores the association between adolescent cannabis use in psychiatric populations and subsequent need for high acuity psychiatric care in adulthood. Methods: Patients from the UCLA Department of Psychiatry completed a survey as part of their clinical treatment, which included questions about cannabis usage, such as frequency. Frequency of cannabis use was assessed with response options of ‘Daily or Almost Daily’ = 4, ‘Weekly’ = 3, ‘Monthly’ = 2, ‘Once or Twice’ = 1, and ‘None’/Unknown = 0. A retrospective chart review was conducted for 13 psychiatric patients who endorsed cannabis use for psychiatric symptoms in adolescence and have now entered adulthood to assess if higher acuities of psychiatric care were required. Higher acuities of psychiatric care were defined as admission to the emergency department, residential treatment, and/or inpatient hospitalization and were marked as level 2, while continued outpatient care was marked as level 1, and unknown status of follow-up or no follow-up were marked as level 0. Results: 84.6% (n=11) of the patients who reported cannabis use while receiving psychiatric care in adolescence, have required continued psychiatric treatment after turning 18 years old. Data was collected regarding their frequency of cannabis use in adolescence, as well as the different levels of psychiatric care accessed in adulthood. Upon analyzing the frequency of cannabis use in adolescence and the different levels of psychiatric care required in adulthood, a Pearson’s correlations test found a positive correlation (r = 0.688, p < 0.01). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate a positive correlation between higher frequencies of adolescent cannabis use and an increased need for higher levels of psychiatric care in adulthood. However, given the study’s limitations, further investigation is necessary, particularly with statistical analysis controlling for confounding factors. Strengthening this evidence base can inform public health strategies and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration among mental health professionals, educators and policymakers in the realm of substance use and mental health in adolescent populations.

Additional Informational : Presented at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Conference in San Francisco CA, May 16-20, 2026