Exploring The Cannabis Use Behaviours of Individuals with Clinically and Self-diagnosed ADHD in New Zealand
Caitlin Elaine Thorburn
Otago University Research Archive August 4, 2026 DOI: 10.82348/our-archive.00317 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Mixed-methods study (online survey plus qualitative interviews), thesis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 601 |
| Population | People with self-diagnosed or clinically diagnosed ADHD in New Zealand |
| Intervention | Cannabis |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Most participants reported using cannabis to manage ADHD symptoms and reported improvements. Self-diagnosed individuals were more likely to use cannabis to manage symptoms, report productive outcomes, and report higher current and lifetime use, while clinically diagnosed individuals were more likely to report cannabis worsening some or all symptoms, especially productivity and memory, and to use it for ADHD medication side effects. |
Abstract
While cannabis has been reported to have many therapeutic utilisations, minimal studies have explored the use behaviours of individuals with ADHD in New Zealand. Due to the considerably high rates of cannabis use within this population, it is necessary that this gap in the literature is explored. Of the analyses that have been conducted, it appears that the self-medication hypothesis may underlie this phenomenon. However, little is known about the diagnostic differences that may exist between self-diagnosed and clinically diagnosed individuals. Therefore, the current study explored three important aims. The first intended to understand if and how cannabis was being utilised to self-medicate for ADHD symptoms. Secondly, differences between self- and clinically diagnosed individuals’ cannabis use behaviours were examined. Lastly, it was analysed how the legal context in New Zealand has affected the therapeutic use of cannabis for people with ADHD. This study utilised both quantitative and qualitative approaches. There were 593 participants who completed the online survey and eight people who were individually interviewed. Quantitative results indicated that most participants had used cannabis to manage their ADHD and reported improvements in symptoms. However, diagnostic differences were observed where self-diagnosed individuals were more likely to indicate utilising cannabis to manage and select productive outcomes. They were also more likely to report higher current and life cannabis use frequencies. In comparison, clinically diagnosed participants were more likely to indicate cannabis worsening some/all symptoms, particularly for productiveness and memory. They also reported cannabis being effective for mitigating the commonly experienced side effects of ADHD medication. These results were supported by qualitative interview findings where three themes were identified. Theme 1: Self-Medicating with Cannabis for ADHD, included two subthemes, (1) Regulating the ADHD Mind, and (2) Navigating Cannabis Dependency. Theme 2: Exploring Options for ADHD Management, also included two subthemes, (1) Tailored Cannabis Consumption, and (2) ADHD Medication Considerations and Associated Cannabis Use. Lastly, Theme 3: Legislation Supports Harm Reduction Practices and Intentional Cannabis Use Through Regulation demonstrated how participants thought legislation could improve safety. This thesis provides important insights into the cannabis use behaviours of people with self-diagnosed and clinically diagnosed ADHD in New Zealand. Overall, it was evident that cannabis was being utilised to self-medicate for ADHD related symptoms and medication side effects. General improvements were found related to assisting internal regulation and supported the therapeutic application of cannabis within this context. Additional diagnostic differences were discovered which suggested self-diagnosed participants potentially experienced more effective outcomes from cannabis use for their symptoms. As they also reported higher current and life use, these effects could explain the diversity in use behaviours observed between the two groups. Alternatively, as clinically diagnosed reported utilising cannabis to mitigate ADHD medication side effects, it suggests the applications may differ depending on diagnosis. These findings can be used to inform the development of policies and regulation to support cannabis related harm reduction practices. Further research would be beneficial to consider the degree of therapeutic potential, including into potential harms such as dependency.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychoactive substances as a last resort—a qualitative study of self-treatment of migraine and cluster headaches Users of online forums discussing cluster headache and migraine treatments | 2017 | Qualitative thematic analysis | |
| Psychoactive drug or mystical incense? Overview of the online available information on Spice products Web pages related to Spice products | 2009 | Qualitative study | n = 200 |
| Patterns, Trends, and Meanings of Drug Use by Dance-drug Users in Edinburgh, Scotland Clubbers in clubs and pre-club bars | 2004 | Cross-sectional survey with focus groups | n = 124 |
| Fascination and Social Togetherness-Discussions about Spice Smoking on a Swedish Internet Forum. Swedish internet forum users who posted reports about Spice intoxication | 2013 | Qualitative study | n = 40 |
| Cannabis as entheogen: survey and interview data on the spiritual use of cannabis. Participants recruited from seven online communities, median age 33, 81% male | 2020 | Mixed methods (qualitative interviews and quantitative survey) | n = 319 |