While the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health and substance use inequities among youth, less is known about how queer, non-binary and transgender (QNT) youth in Canada experienced changes in cannabis use and mental health during the pandemic. This mixed-methods study explored the relationship between cannabis use, mental health, and experiences with the COVID-19-related public health measures among QNT youth. Between July 2020 and June 2021, we surveyed 178 QNT youth (18-30) across Canada and interviewed 30 QNT youth from British Columbia to examine their experiences with cannabis use and mental health. Descriptive analyses showed that 63.6% of the survey participants increased cannabis use during the pandemic. This subgroup was more likely to experience negative physical and mental health challenges (feeling tired, anxious) and used cannabis for mixed purposes. Thematic analysis of interviews revealed that while participants used cannabis to cope with stress and boredom, they also carefully balanced its harms and benefits, as COVID-19 disrupted their daily lives. Our findings illustrate how QNT youth adapted their cannabis use in response to pandemic-related changes. Future research should explore how youth intentionally adapt their cannabis use to address mental health and other broader emotional needs (e.g. disconnecting from work).
London-Nadeau et al. (Mon,) studied this question.