Cannabis remains the most widely used illicit substance among adolescents in Ireland, with new research shedding light on the factors that influence its use. A 2021 survey involving over 4,400 students aged 15–16 years in North Dublin, Cavan, and Monaghan revealed that 7.3% reported using cannabis in the past month. The study, part of the Planet Youth initiative based on the Icelandic Prevention Model, identified individual, familial, and peer-related factors related to cannabis use.

In this research, which has been published in the Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, peer cannabis use was found to increase the odds of a young person’s cannabis use by over 10 times.1 Perceived parental ambivalence and peer pressure also significantly elevated the likelihood of use. Moreover, adolescents who viewed cannabis as non-harmful – or who used alcohol, cigarettes, or e-cigarettes – were more likely to be cannabis users. Protective factors against adolescent cannabis use included strong parental disapproval, high levels of parental supervision, and the perception that cannabis use is harmful.

The authors propose that the findings have important implications for public health policy and highlight the need for targeted prevention strategies that address modifiable risk factors, such as peer influence and parental attitudes. They suggest that increased public awareness campaigns that clarify the risks associated with adolescent cannabis use, particularly in the context of growing social acceptance and legalisation debates, are urgently needed.

1    O’Dowd TM, Fleury R, Power E, et al. (2025) Risk and protective factors for cannabis use in adolescence: a population-based survey in schools. Ir J Psychol Med, 42, (1) pp. 6–14.