ADHD and Substance Use

Plain-language summary

Research suggests a connection between ADHD and substance use, particularly cannabis use disorder. While some studies explore the genetic factors involved, others examine if ADHD medication influences the risk of substance use. Evidence is still developing, and further research is needed to fully understand these complex relationships.

Key findings

• Genetic factors may play a role in an individual's susceptibility to cannabis use disorder, and this might sometimes overlap with genetic predispositions for ADHD.
• There is ongoing research about whether treating ADHD with stimulant medications impacts the likelihood of developing substance use issues as individuals grow from adolescence into early adulthood.
• Understanding the benefits and risks of prescribing controlled substances is an important part of managing conditions like ADHD, especially when considering potential links to substance use.

Studies cited (8)

1. A large-scale genome-wide association study meta-analysis of cannabis use disorder — Johnson EC, Demontis D, Thorgeirsson TE (2020, The lancet. Psychiatry, meta-analysis)

   DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30339-4 PMCID: PMC7674631

2. Cannabinoids for the treatment of mental disorders and symptoms of mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis — Black N, Stockings E, Campbell G (2019, The lancet. Psychiatry, meta-analysis)

   DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30401-8 PMCID: PMC6949116

3. Prescription of Controlled Substances: Benefits and Risks — Preuss CV, Kalava A, King KC (2026, , other)

   Copyright © 2026, StatPearls Publishing LLC.

4. Pharmacotherapies for cannabis use disorder — Spiga F, Parkhouse T, Tang VM (2025, The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, other)

   DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008940.pub4 PMCID: PMC12481667

5. Association Between Stimulant Treatment and Substance Use Through Adolescence Into Early Adulthood — Molina BSG, Kennedy TM, Howard AL (2023, JAMA psychiatry, other)

   DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.2157 PMCID: PMC10323757

6. Decreased risk for substance use disorders in individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder — Yule AM, DiSalvo M, Biederman J (2023, European child & adolescent psychiatry, other)

   DOI: 10.1007/s00787-021-01852-0 PMCID: PMC8936975

7. Substance Abuse Amongst Adolescents: An Issue of Public Health Significance — Nath A, Choudhari SG, Dakhode SU (2022, Cureus, other)

   DOI: 10.7759/cureus.31193 PMCID: PMC9728192

8. Drug Treatments for ADHD Reduce Risk of Substance Use Disorders — Asherson P (2017, The American journal of psychiatry, other)

   DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17070733