How short-term cannabis use and withdrawal affect teen mood and suicidal thoughts
Official title: Characterizing Proximal Risk for Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation with Acute Cannabis Use and Withdrawal Among Adolescents Using Ecological Momentary Assessment
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11323622 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Teens who use cannabis daily and have recent depression or suicidal thoughts will use a smartphone app that records their mood and cannabis use to link moments of use or withdrawal with increases in sadness or suicidal thinking.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $763,679 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA054145-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11323622 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are school-age adolescents (about 12–18 years) who use cannabis daily or nearly daily, have current depression, and have had suicidal thoughts within the past month.
✕Less likely to help
Young people who do not use cannabis regularly, do not have current depression or recent suicidal thoughts, are outside the 12–18 age range, or are unable or unwilling to complete frequent smartphone monitoring are unlikely to benefit directly from this study.
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be 12–18 years old, use cannabis daily or nearly daily, have current depression, and have had suicidal thoughts in the past month, and you may be recruited through your school. Over a 10-week study you'll carry a smartphone app that prompts you multiple times per day to report your mood, suicidal thoughts, and cannabis use, including an initial 2-week baseline period during your usual use. The study uses random assignment to compare conditions such as sustained abstinence versus continued use and follows participants through intoxication and withdrawal to identify when mood or suicidal thinking worsens. Study staff will monitor safety, provide instructions, and connect participants with care if needed.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify specific high-risk moments during intoxication or withdrawal when teens are most likely to experience worsening depression or suicidal thoughts, allowing earlier and more targeted interventions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked adolescent cannabis use with depression and suicidal thoughts over months and years, but real-time, short-term smartphone monitoring in this high-risk group is relatively new and less tested.
Where this research is happening
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Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schuster, Randi Melissa — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Schuster, Randi Melissa
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how cannabis use affects depression and suicidal thoughts in adolescents
This study is looking at how using cannabis might affect feelings of sadness and thoughts about suicide in teens aged 12 to 18, by checking in with them through their smartphones over two weeks to see how their mood changes with their cannabis use.
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Hemp-derived CBD for reducing cannabis use in high-THC concentrate users
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A research project follows young adult sexual minorities to see how daily stress and coping help explain cannabis use and related problems.
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This grant studies how changes in recreational cannabis laws influence cannabis use during pregnancy and health outcomes for mothers and children.
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Genetic, Social, and Environmental Factors Shaping Early Cannabis Use in Youth
A study with young people will look at how genes, surroundings, and behavior come together to predict who might start using cannabis early and how to prevent it.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.