Identifying the impact of cannabis use on mental health outcomes among sexual and gender minority youth: A mixed-methods study

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth (15-24 years old) experience higher rates of substance use (including cannabis) and mental health and illness-related problems than their heterosexual and cisgender (e.g., non-transgender) peers. Given the vast substance use and mental health-related inequities that SGM youth experience, more evidence about potential impacts of cannabis use on SGM youth's mental health is urgently needed. However, it remains critically important that new research in this area account for how various features of context will influence the impacts of cannabis on SGM youth mental health. For example, while both British Columbia and Quebec share some commonalities with regards to cannabis regulation (e.g., governed by the federal Cannabis Act), important contextual differences require new empirical investigation (e.g., minimum age in BC is 19 vs. in QC is 21; socio-cultural norms; features of health systems). As such, our research activities will involve intensive qualitative research activities with SGM youth across BC and QC (including in rural, urban and suburban regions; n=30 per year in each province) to identify how evolving contextual and population-specific factors influence cannabis use and mental health experiences among SGM youth (Obj. 1). We will also conduct a three-year repeated annual cross-sectional online survey to measure and monitor trends in cannabis use patterns and associated mental health outcomes among SGM from across BC and QC (n=750 per province per year) over time (Obj. 2). Our team will use this new knowledge to inform intervention adaptation and implementation, including via annual Participatory Planning Summits in both BC and QC with key stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, health care providers), researchers and SGM youth (Obj. 3).