Risk and protective factors of solitary cannabis use among Canadian secondary school students: findings from the COMPASS study

Introduction Solitary cannabis use has become increasingly prevalent among youth in Canada and is linked to both mental and behavioural concerns. This study seeks to fill current gaps in the literature by examining the factors associated with solitary cannabis use to understand the complexities of specific contexts in which use occurs and improve prevention efforts targeted towards behaviours that are associated with greater health impacts and riskier behaviours. Methods This study examined solitary cannabis use among a cross-sectional sample (n = 2899) of Canadian youth (11–18 years) who reported past 30-day cannabis use and participated in the COMPASS study in 2020–21. Using a stepwise approach, generalized linear mixed models were run to examine risk and protective factors associated with solitary use. A Bayesian imputation framework was used to address missing data. Results Sixty-six percent of students reported having used cannabis alone in the past 30 days. All substance use variables examined were strongly associated with solitary use. A preliminary interaction between school connectedness and flourishing was observed, suggesting school connectedness may offer modest protection against solitary cannabis use and vary across flourishing scores. Conclusion Solitary cannabis use is common among Canadian youth and is associated with several other risk factors examined. These findings suggest that comprehensive prevention strategies that promote both flourishing and equitable school environments may be relevant to reduce solitary cannabis use and its associated risks. Future research should explore how behaviours may cluster with solitary use and employ longitudinal designs to understand how behaviours change over time.