Morning cannabis use, often to ease anxiety, is on the rise and it's risky. Understanding young adults' cannabis use patterns has become more important as more states legalize recreational marijuana. According to a recent survey, over 25% of young adults in the U.S. reported regular and consistent cannabis use.
As cannabis use among young adults has grown, so has the potency of marijuana. Many of the young adults I encounter are typical of their peers; they feel confident in their safety and fail to recognize the risks associated with cannabis use. They consider driving under the influence of marijuana to be relatively safe, especially compared to the perceived dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol.
One particularly high-risk cannabis behavior is consuming it shortly after waking up, commonly known as "wake-and-bake." The internet is filled with articles, recipes for cannabis-infused breakfast options, and even songs that promote this behavior as a relaxing way to start the day.
So why do some people choose to wake and bake?
In one study, teenagers and young adults reported that those who regularly consumed more marijuana in the morning tended to use less cannabis in the afternoon or evening. Wake-and-bake users also reported experiencing more cannabis-related consequences than those who didn’t consume marijuana in the morning. Young adults may be drawn to wake and bake as a way to cope with or manage the demands of daily life, such as school or work.
A recent study involving 409 young adults found that wake-and-bake cannabis use was strongly linked to the number of hours spent being high, which aligns with research suggesting that morning cannabis use may be associated with consuming larger amounts of marijuana overall. This finding is also consistent with studies on individuals who use nicotine and alcohol immediately after waking; they tend to consume more of their preferred substance.
Surprisingly, the study reported that wake-and-bake cannabis use was not directly connected to the number of severe negative marijuana effects, such as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, impaired coordination and performance, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or tendencies, and psychotic symptoms. This is unexpected because there was a strong correlation between wake-and-bake use and more hours spent high, and typically, there is a positive correlation between longer periods of being high and adverse outcomes.
Future studies need to explore this mystery further. The researchers suggested that upcoming studies should focus on the specific effects of using cannabis early in the day, such as changes in motivation or performance at school or work.
In the current study, young adults who reported a higher number of social anxiety coping behaviors at the beginning of the study were more likely to engage in wake-and-bake use on a greater percentage of cannabis use days. Additional analysis showed that these participants were more likely to feel withdrawn or deliberately avoid others on wake-and-bake use days compared to non-wake-and-bake cannabis use days. This makes sense, as many studies have shown that marijuana cravings are higher among those with clinically elevated symptoms of social anxiety.
The researchers hypothesized that individuals who wake and bake to cope with social anxiety might do so in anticipation of an upcoming social event or in preparation for cravings that could arise during daily social interactions.