Testing Anxiety, Depression, and Cannabis Problem Severity as Predictors of Self-Initiated Cannabis Change Attempts Among Young Adult Women

Relative to men, women tend to escalate more rapidly to problematic cannabis use, experience more severe withdrawal, and report higher levels of internalizing symptoms, which may impede attempts at change. Using two waves of data from a sample of young adult women (Wave 1 N = 653, Wave 2 N = 584), this study tested whether baseline anxiety, depression, and cannabis problems predicted quit/break attempts six months later. Sexual and gender minority status was examined as a moderator. Greater baseline depressive symptoms predicted higher odds of any quit attempt and past attempt, but not current attempt. Greater cannabis problems predicted lower odds of a current attempt. Higher baseline anxiety, depression, and cannabis problems were associated with greater withdrawal, whereas cannabis problems were associated with shorter attempts. Anxiety predicted current quit/break attempts among gender minority participants only. Addressing internalizing symptoms and withdrawal may help sustain cannabis quit/break attempts among women.