What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: Addiction.

Where was this research published?

Published in BMC public health on May 12, 2026.

Cannabis use stable while digital addictions surge among Moroccan teens

A twenty-year retrospective analysis of substance use with recent behavioral addiction indicators (social media, gaming, gambling) among school-going adolescents in Morocco.

BMC public health • May 12, 2026 • Moderately Relevant

🤖

AI Summary

This 20-year study examined trends in substance use and behavioral addictions among Moroccan school-going adolescents (ages 13-17) between 2001 and 2021, analyzing data from 11 nationally representative surveys. The research tracked patterns in traditional substances and emerging behaviors, providing crucial insights into how adolescent risk profiles are evolving in a low- to middle-income country. Among substances, cannabis use remained relatively stable at 3.4% in 2021, while electronic cigarettes and non-medical tranquilizers showed marked increases, and traditional cigarette smoking and shisha use declined over the 20-year period.

The study revealed a shifting landscape of adolescent addictive behaviors, with behavioral addictions now substantially outpacing traditional substance use. Social media use (41.2%), excessive gaming (21.5%), and gambling (18.3%) dominated the 2021 data, far exceeding the prevalence of cannabis (3.4%) and other substances. Notably, males consistently reported higher prevalence across all substance use and behavioral addiction categories throughout the entire study period, indicating a persistent gender gap that demands targeted intervention strategies.

These findings underscore that in Morocco, emerging substances and behavioral addictions present a greater public health challenge than traditional drugs, including cannabis. The stability of cannabis use while electronic cigarettes and non-medical tranquilizers surged suggests that prevention efforts must adapt to address rapidly evolving risk factors. The authors call for gender-responsive prevention strategies and stronger regulatory frameworks for newly popular substances, emphasizing that traditional drug prevention approaches may miss the most pressing adolescent health threats in contemporary settings.

📄 Original Abstract

Adolescence is a critical period for the initiation of substance use and other addictive behaviors, which can have long-term health consequences. Monitoring these behaviors is essential to inform prevention and policy strategies in low- and middle-income countries, where evidence remains limited. This study aimed to provide an integrated twenty-year overview of trends in substance use and selected behavioral addictions among Moroccan school-going adolescents and to examine sex differences over time. We analyzed 11 nationally representative repeated cross-sectional school-based surveys conducted between 2001 and 2021, including GYTS, GSHS, and MedSPAD. Participants were school-going adolescents aged 13-15 years (GYTS, GSHS) and 15-17 years (MedSPAD). Outcomes included cigarette smoking, shisha, electronic cigarettes, alcohol, cannabis, non-prescription tranquilizers or sedatives, cocaine, crack, heroin, and ecstasy, as well as excessive gaming, gambling, and problematic social media use. Temporal trends were assessed using the Cochran-Armitage chi-square test for trend in proportions and multivariable logistic regression analyses. In 2021, the most prevalent addictive behaviors were social media use (41.2%), excessive gaming (21.5% on school days, 22.6% on non-school days), and gambling (18.3%). Among substances, electronic cigarettes (5.4%), shisha (5.2%), tranquilizers or sedatives without prescription (4.8%), and cigarette smoking (4.6%) were most common, followed by cannabis (3.4%), alcohol (2.6%), ecstasy (1.1%), cocaine (1.0%), and heroin (0.9%). Trend analyses among Moroccan adolescents showed declines in cigarette smoking and shisha use, relative stability in alcohol and cannabis, and marked increases in electronic cigarette and non-medical tranquilizer use. Cocaine and crack use remained uncommon and showed no statistically significant adjusted temporal trends. Across all survey waves, prevalence of substance use and addictive behaviors was consistently higher among male school-going adolescents. Rising use of electronic cigarettes, non-medical tranquilizers or sedatives, and behavioral addictions signals a shifting risk profile among Moroccan school-going adolescents, with males consistently reporting higher prevalence. These trends highlight the need for gender-responsive prevention strategies and stronger regulation of emerging substances. Strengthening long-term, standardized surveillance systems is essential to monitor evolving behaviors and support evidence-based policy and adolescent health promotion efforts in Morocco.

Paper Type

📄 Research

Publication

Journal: BMC public health
Published: May 12, 2026
PMID: 42115984
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-026-26740-7

Authors (4)

Sammila Andrade Abdala Mohammed VI International School of Public Health, Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Casablanca, Morocco.
Filipe Canto Oliveira Faculty of Health Sciences, International University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco.
Oumnia Bouaddi Mohammed VI International School of Public Health, Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Casablanca, Morocco.
Mohamed Khalis Mohammed VI International School of Public Health, Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Casablanca, Morocco. mkhalis@um6ss.ma.