Exploring cannabis-specific parenting as a mechanism of the intergenerational transmission of cannabis use and cannabis use disorder

Objective: Parental cannabis use disorder (CUD) is a known risk factor in the development of adolescent cannabis use. One potential mechanism is parenting behaviors. This study considered cannabis-specific parenting strategies as a mechanism of the relation between parental CUD and adolescent cannabis use. Method: Pathways were examined using multilevel longitudinal mediation models (N = 363, mean age = 16.3 years) comparing adolescent offspring of parents who never used cannabis, parents who used cannabis without CUD, and parents with CUD. Results: Parental cannabis use history did not significantly predict parental sharing of negative experiences with cannabis or parental strategies to prevent cannabis use. Cannabis-specific strategies did not successfully deter adolescent use. Parental sharing of negative experiences with cannabis use in fact predicted increased adolescent cannabis use. Conclusions: Cannabis-specific parenting did not reduce adolescent cannabis use, and sharing negative experiences was detrimental. Future studies should consider alternative mechanisms underlying the intergenerational transmission of cannabis use.