Michael McHale , 2025-05-02 07:30:00
Survey of nearly 5,000 adolescents found that those involved in sports, artistic pursuits, or volunteering are less likely to use the drug
Almost one-in-five adolescents in Ireland have used cannabis, with teenagers who don’t have typical extracurricular activities more likely to have used the drug, new research suggests.
In a survey of almost 5,000 young people from across 81 secondary schools and 10 youthreach centres in the west of Ireland, 18.5 per cent reported previous cannabis use, with 7.5 per cent having had used the drug within the past month.
Adolescent cannabis use was more likely among those who had stayed outside after midnight in the previous week, among those who reported a lack of parental rule-setting, and a lack of parental monitoring.
The researchers also found that teens were also more likely to use cannabis if they were in environments where there are lower levels of interactions and shared rule-setting between parents within the adolescents’ social networks.
The study analysed responses from 4,897 adolescents who participated in the Planet Youth 2020 – Growing Up in the West survey, which was an anonymous questionnaire available to all school-going adolescents residing in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon.
The research was undertaken by the UCC School of Medicine and School of Public Health, in conjunction with the Department of Public Health HSE South West and Western Region Drug and Alcohol Task Force.
“Although adolescent cannabis use is a significant public health concern, there is limited evidence on how the home environment and involvement in extracurricular activities correlate with teenage cannabis use in Ireland, said first author of the study, Dr Fionn Daly.
Previous research highlighted how Irish adolescents have a higher-than-average lifetime prevalence of cannabis use in comparison to 34 other European nations.
Teens who use cannabis are more likely to develop cannabis use disorder, while persistent cannabis use has been linked with impaired learning performance, cardiovascular disorders, and the development of mental health disorders.
While other studies have shown a link between active engagement in sports teams and an increased propensity for teenage alcohol use, the findings of this research indicate that those involved in sports were less likely to use cannabis.
“Our research suggests that the use of cannabis remains relatively common among adolescents in Ireland,” said study lead Dr Peter Barrett.
“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 study was published in the journal Public Health.
