Beyond Struggle: A Strengths-Based Qualitative Study of Cannabis Use Among Queer and Trans Youth in Québec
10 months ago 10 months agoYouthREX Research Summaries ask Just Six Questions of research publications on key youth issues. These summaries get at what the youth sector needs to know in two pages or less!
1. What is the research about?
This research examines the patterns and motivations behind cannabis use among queer and trans youth in Quebec. Evidence has shown that cannabis use is common among Canadian youth, especially within the queer and trans communities, which have seen increased rates of cannabis use compared to heterosexual and cisgender youth. This study was guided by two main questions: What are the unique experiences of queer and trans youth, and how is cannabis use related to these experiences?
Previous research has highlighted reasons why queer and trans youth use cannabis, including the desire to self-medicate and as a coping mechanism for the unique challenges and stressors they experience due to discrimination and marginalization (the Minority Stress Theory). However, this research tends to focus on the negative aspects of substance use, which reinforces harmful stereotypes about queer and trans identities and is ultimately deficit-based.
This study takes a different approach – with the aim of supporting queer and trans youth in living fulfilling lives despite the challenges they face – by looking at the positive aspects of cannabis use – specifically, how it can help queer and trans youth affirm their identities, connect with others, and engage in self-discovery.
2. Where did the research take place?
This research took place in Quebec, primarily in Montreal. Quebec was chosen because of its unique sociopolitical context, an ideal setting to explore the intersections of queer and trans identities, cannabis use, and mental health:
- Although Canada is known for progressive cannabis policies, Quebec has stricter cannabis laws compared to the other provinces, including a higher legal age for cannabis use (21 years) than for alcohol (18 years).
- Legal protections for queer and trans individuals exist across Canada, but Quebec was the first province to prohibit discrimination due to sexual orientation.
- Montreal was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to strict lockdowns and curfews that significantly affected the mental health of youth.
3. Who is this research about?
This research is about 27 queer and trans youth, aged 21 to 25, who live in Quebec and who use cannabis frequently. Study participants were required to use cannabis more than once a week for at least six months, and to have experienced mental health issues, seeking either formal or informal support.
“I love smoking with queer people because I feel like it’s such a different experience than smoking alone or smoking with anyone else. I feel like smoking with queer people is so… you don’t have to think about where you are, who you’re with, what you’re doing, what you look like. You know, I just I feel like smoking with certain pockets of the queer community is very relaxing in different ways than it is with other people.” — Indigo, Research Participant
4. How was this research done?
The research was led by a team of four queer youth with diverse backgrounds and experiences in cannabis use (the Leadership team). They were mentored by academic experts in youth development, qualitative research, queer and trans health, and harm reduction. A Youth Expert Committee of 10 queer and trans youth contributed to all stages of the study, from designing materials to analyzing data and co-authoring the final article.
The 27 research participants were recruited through social media, community networks, and snowball sampling (participants recruited others through their networks). Qualitative data (describing qualities, characteristics, processes, or experiences) was collected through one-on-one interviews, conducted by the Leadership team either online or by phone, from November 2021 to February 2022. Interviews covered topics such as cannabis use, mental health, sexual and gender identity, sociocultural environment, stressors, protective factors, and the impact of COVID-19. Each participant received $60 in compensation.
Guided by the Minority Strengths Theory (developed as a complement to the Minority Stress Model, but drawing attention to “how personal and collective strengths may produce mental and physical wellness in [queer and trans] communities” (p. 2)), data analysis involved incorporating participant feedback and an iterative refinement of research questions to reflect the strengths shared by queer and trans youth. The study’s community-based approach and emphasis on the meaningful integration of queer and trans perspectives aimed to create a space for resistance, critique, and empowerment, challenging the systems and structures that limit queer and trans youth’s opportunities to thrive.
5. What are the key findings?
Cannabis use can be part of a positive and empowering experience for queer and trans youth. The key findings revolve around three central themes:
i) Producing an Authentic Queer/Trans Self: Participants used cannabis to support, accompany, or complicate the formation of their queer/trans identities. This process involved self-discovery, introspection, and expression. Cannabis facilitated a disconnection from cisheteronormative expectations (societal assumptions that everyone is cisgender and heterosexual, and that these identities are the norm), enabling participants to explore, express, and uncover their true selves.
ii) Building Queer/Trans Community and Connection: Participants emphasized that their sense of belonging and safety within queer/trans communities was enhanced through shared cannabis consumption. For example, one participant noted how cannabis use with new queer friends helped him expand his understanding of sexuality and build new relationships outside of cisheteronormativity.
iii) Facing Adversity: Cannabis was also used as a coping mechanism to manage challenges resulting from the systemic oppression faced by queer and trans youth. Participants pointed out the inadequacies of the healthcare system in addressing their mental health needs, particularly for those queer and trans youth who are racialized. Cannabis provided a means to cope with the mental health toll imposed by these intersecting oppressions.
6. Why does it matter for youth work?
Cannabis use can be a part of queer and trans youth’s strategies for dealing with life’s challenges, embracing their identities, and fostering a sense of sub-culture and community. Youth workers can recognize how cannabis use, in these ways, can play a positive role in the lives of queer and trans youth, not just a harmful one.
Youth workers can create safe spaces for queer and trans youth to explore their identities and connect with others. Programs that encourage open and safe discussions about cannabis use and its effects can be helpful. Healthcare workers, social workers, and other frontline providers must offer accessible and appropriate mental health supports and promote harm reduction principles, respecting the agency of youth who use substances, rather than being abstinence-focused.
The researchers suggest that youth workers and healthcare providers look beyond traditional understandings of experiences of marginalization to recognize the positive aspects of queer and trans youth’s lives, such as their joys and strengths. This study calls for those who work with youth to situate cannabis use in queer and trans youth’s strategies to not just survive, but to thrive, further enhancing their health and wellbeing.
London-Nadeau, K., Lafortune, C., Gorka, C., Lemay-Gaulin, M., Séguin, J., Haines-Saah, R., Ferlatte, O., Chadi, N., Juster, R.-P., Bristowe, S., D’Alessio, H., Bernal, L., Ellis-Durity, K., Barbosa, J., Da Costa De Carlos, L. A. A. C., & Castellanos Ryan, N. (2024). Beyond Struggle: A Strengths-Based Qualitative Study of Cannabis Use Among Queer and Trans Youth Québec. The International Journal of Drug Policy. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095539592400197X?via%3Dihub
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Categorised in: Research Summary