A quarter of problematic pot users have anxiety disorders, many since childhood

Lead author Sherika Hill, Ph.D., is an adjunct faculty associate at the Duke University School of Medicine. Credit: Duke Health

About a quarter of adults whose marijuana use is problematic in early adulthood have anxiety disorders in childhood and late adolescence, according to new data from Duke Health researchers.

The findings, publishing this week in the November issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, also shed light on an estimated 4 percent of adults who endured childhood maltreatment and peer bullying without resorting to chronic marijuana abuse, only to develop problems with the drug between the ages of 26 and 30.

“Given that more states may be moving towards legalization of cannabis for medicinal and recreational purposes, this study raises attention about what we anticipate will be the fastest growing demographic of users—adults,” said lead author Sherika Hill, Ph.D., an adjunct faculty associate at the…

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