What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: Addiction, Mental Health.

Where was this research published?

Published in Drug and alcohol dependence on June 24, 2026.

Addiction Mental Health

Why measuring cultural identity alone misses the cannabis prevention picture

A meta-analysis on the relationship between cultural identity and substance use among indigenous youth.

Drug and alcohol dependence • June 24, 2026 • Review • Moderately Relevant

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AI Summary

This meta-analysis examined whether cultural identity influences substance use patterns among Indigenous youth in North America, analyzing 18 studies involving Indigenous youth aged 10-20 years. The research found no significant overall relationship between cultural identity and substance use, with results remaining consistent across alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use. However, the findings revealed substantial variability across studies (high heterogeneity), suggesting that this null result may not tell the complete story about how cultural factors shape substance use decisions in Indigenous communities.

The study highlights a critical methodological limitation: the way researchers currently measure and operationalize cultural identity in quantitative research may not capture what actually matters for Indigenous youth substance use patterns. The authors note that tribal affiliation was largely unreported across studies, and variables like age, sex, and reservation residence did not explain the inconsistent findings. This suggests that existing measurement approaches may be too generic or disconnected from the lived experiences and specific cultural elements most relevant to Indigenous communities.

The research underscores an important gap in understanding substance use prevention for Indigenous youth. Rather than accepting the null finding at face value, the authors recommend that future work identify which specific components of cultural identity—whether traditional practices, language, community connection, or spiritual beliefs—are most protective or relevant for reducing substance use. Developing culturally sensitive interventions requires moving beyond broad cultural identity measures to understand the granular, community-specific factors that influence whether Indigenous youth use substances like cannabis, alcohol, and tobacco.

📄 Original Abstract

The association between cultural identity and substance use varies across studies, highlighting the need to quantify this relationship and identify sources of variability. This meta-analysis quantified the relationship between cultural identity and substance use among North American Indigenous youth, tested potential moderators, and described measurement approaches and tribal nation representation. A systematic literature search identified 18 studies reporting a quantifiable association between cultural identity and substance use with samples of at least 75% Indigenous youth between the ages of 10 and 20 years. Random effects models were used to calculate pooled effect sizes (Pearson's r), and meta-regressions assessed for potential moderating effects of age, sex, measurement approach, and living on a reservation. Overall, there was no significant pooled association between cultural identity and substance use in Indigenous youth (r = -0.003, p = .86). Effects were similar across alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis. However, heterogeneity was high (I2=72%), and funnel plot asymmetry suggested possible publication bias (p = .04). Age, sex, living on a reservation, and measurement approach did not moderate the overall effect (p's > .49). Tribal affiliation was largely not reported. This is the first meta-analysis to quantify the association between cultural identity and substance use among Indigenous youth. Although the overall pooled association was not statistically significant, this likely reflects limitations in how cultural identity is operationalized within quantitative research, leaving the question as to how cultural identity may impact substance use among Indigenous youth as of yet unanswered. Identifying which components of cultural identity are most relevant for Indigenous youth substance use will yield a better understanding of this relationship to inform the development of culturally sensitive interventions.

Paper Type

📚 Review

Publication

Journal: Drug and alcohol dependence
Published: June 24, 2026
PMID: 42364285
DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2026.113238

Authors (6)

Lindsey Fisher-Fox Indiana University - Indianapolis, Department of Psychology, USA. Electronic address: linfishe@iu.edu.
Nichea S Spillane Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, USA.
Yancey Sizemore Indiana University - Indianapolis, Department of Psychology, USA.
India Johnson Indiana University - Indianapolis, Department of Psychology, USA.
Adam Hirsh Indiana University - Indianapolis, Department of Psychology, USA.
+1 more authors