Teens who do sports, activities, use cannabis less often - UCC study

A University College Cork (UCC) study has found that cannabis use in Irish teens is relatively common, and that participation in extracurricular activities is key to prevention, suggesting that removing financial barriers could be key to avoiding cannabis use in that age group.

A survey of almost 5,000 adolescents, from across 81 secondary schools and 10 Youthreach centres in the West of Ireland, found that 18.5% of adolescents reported previous cannabis use, with 7.5% having used cannabis within the past month.

The study was undertaken by the School of Medicine and School of Public Health, UCC, in conjunction with the Department of Public Health HSE South West and Western Region Drug and Alcohol Task Force, and has been published in the journal Public Health.

Teens were provided with a survey of 73 questions across a number of themes, and the responses indicate that adolescent cannabis use was more likely among those who reported a lack of parental rule-setting and monitoring.

The findings indicated that those involved in sports, or other extracurriculars, such as volunteering, music, drama, or art, were less likely to use cannabis.

Previous research has shown that Irish adolescents have a higher than average prevalence of cannabis use in comparison to other European nations, and that the likelihood of developing cannabis use disorder is most pronounced among those who begin cannabis use during adolescence.

Persistent cannabis use has been linked with adverse health outcomes, including impaired learning performance, cardiovascular disorders, and the development of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia.

Commenting on the findings, study lead Dr Peter Barrett explained: “Our research suggests that the use of cannabis remains relatively common among adolescents in Ireland.

“Social environment factors related to cannabis use, both within the home and in the wider community, identified in this study, may provide valuable insights for primary prevention interventions which require action at a grassroots level.”

The report’s authors highlight how efforts to reduce cannabis use among teens in Iceland have been successful, with the introduction of a prepaid Recreation Card increasing the number of adolescents there involved in extracurricular activities.

The annual voucher, worth approximately €515 at current exchange rates, is provided to all Icelandic citizens aged 6–18 years.

It is estimated that 80% of Icelandic adolescents regularly participate in organised sports at least once per week, in comparison to approximately 50% of Irish adolescents in the UCC study.

The authors suggest that a similar system here could boost the numbers of teens involved in extracurricular activities by removing financial barriers to participation.

However, they warn that teens in rural areas have less choice compared to those living in urban areas, particularly for those who are not interested in sports.