Journal
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY-REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE
Volume 67, Issue 4, Pages 259-267Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/0706743721996112
Keywords
cannabis; suicidal ideation; depression; NHANES
Categories
Funding
- Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of Toronto (Toronto, Canada)
- Endowed Chair in Translational Anesthesiology Research at St. Michael's Hospital (Toronto, Canada)
- University of Toronto (Toronto, Canada)
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This study found that recent cannabis use in adults was associated with higher likelihood of suicidal ideation and depression, as well as seeking mental health professional help.
Objective: With the increasing prevalence of cannabis use, there is a growing concern about its association with depression and suicidality. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between recent cannabis use and suicidal ideation using a nationally representative data set. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of adults was undertaken using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2005 to 2018. Participants were dichotomized by whether or not they had used cannabis in the past 30 days. The primary outcome was suicidal ideation, and secondary outcomes were depression and having recently seen a mental health professional. Multiple logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounders, and survey sample weights were considered in the model. Results: Compared to those with no recent use (n = 18,599), recent users (n = 3,127) were more likely to have experienced suicidal ideation in the past 2 weeks (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.54, 95% CI, 1.19 to 2.00, P = 0.001), be depressed (aOR 1.53, 95% CI, 1.29 to 1.82, P < 0.001), and to have seen a mental health professional in the past 12 months (aOR 1.28, 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.59, P = 0.023). Conclusions: Cannabis use in the past 30 days was associated with suicidal thinking and depression in adults. This relationship is likely multifactorial but highlights the need for specific guidelines and policies for the prescription of medical cannabis for psychiatric therapy. Future research should continue to characterize the health effects of cannabis use in the general population.
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