Emotion regulation and cannabis use in young people: a systematic review

Introduction Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug among young people and is frequently associated with mental health problems. Emotion regulation, the ability to monitor, evaluate, and modulate emotional responses, has been proposed as a mechanism linking cannabis use with psychopathology, but evidence remains inconsistent. Objectives This review systematically examined studies investigating the association between cannabis use and self-reported emotion regulation in adolescents and young adults using validated self-report measures. Methods The review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024562206) and funded by the Health Research Board. Six electronic databases were searched to June 2025. Eligible studies included participants aged 12–30 years, included a comparison group of non-users or infrequent users, and reported at least one validated measure of emotion regulation (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, or Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire). Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-E tool, and findings were narratively synthesised. Results Only four cross-sectional studies ( N = 3,801) met inclusion criteria. Cannabis use was associated with greater emotion regulation difficulties, although results were limited and heterogeneous, with one paper contributing largely to the overall sample size. The most consistent domains implicated were impulse control, goal-directed behaviour, and non-acceptance of emotions, with one study identifying effects limited to females. Discussion Preliminary evidence, whilst limited, suggests that cannabis use during adolescence and early adulthood is associated with specific emotion regulation difficulties rather than global dysregulation. However, given the limited sample of eligible studies, results should be observed with caution. Longitudinal and neurocognitive studies are needed to clarify causal mechanisms and inform prevention and intervention efforts. Systematic Review Registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024562206 , PROSPERO CRD42024562206.