Mental Health, Substance Use, and Related Factors Associated with Recent Use of Cannabis for Sleep: A Co-Twin Control Study

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objectives: To examine: 1) cross-sectional associations between past-month use of cannabis for sleep with mental health, substance use, and related factors in adults and 2) the role of genetic and early environmental factors shared by twins (familial confounds) in explaining significant associations. Methods: In a population-based sample of adult twins (n = 3,165, Mage36.7) we ran regression (phenotypic) and multilevel (co-twin control) models examining associations between past-month use of cannabis for sleep without comes of interest. We controlled for cannabis frequency and sleep quality except when each was the outcome of interest. Results: Recent use of cannabis for sleep was associated with multiple mental health, substance use, and related factors in phenotypic models. In co-twincontrol models, within-family effects were significant between using cannabis for sleep with more problems from cannabis use, higher cannabis frequency, worse sleep quality, and more frequent use of alcohol and medication for sleep. Conclusions: Familial confounds may explain many, but not all, associations between recent use of cannabis for sleep and mental health, substance use, and related factors. Longitudinal work is needed to clarify the directionality of associations not explained by familial confounds, and whether they are risks of using cannabis for sleep.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)648-660
Number of pages13
JournalBehavioral Sleep Medicine
Volume23
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

PubMed: MeSH publication types

  • Journal Article
  • Twin Study

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