Cannabis Use Increases Depressive and Suicidal Thinking

(Psychology Today) Cannabis use has become increasingly normalized in the United States, and at least half the states have “medical marijuana” laws. This reversed criminalization, but rather than following FDA-like testing and approval, cannabis was suddenly "a medicine." Access to cannabis or its intoxicant THC has never been greater. Adolescents may not legally purchase cannabis; however, their access has increased.

Cannabis is largely unstudied or has failed rigorous medication trials, so its impact on mental health is mostly unknown. However, new findings indicate distressing results, causing experts to call for a reassessment of the risks and benefits of cannabis, as nearly 30% of users develop cannabis use disorder (CUD). For adolescent users, risks for addiction are twice that of adults, and after four years, 1 in 5 adolescents develop problematic use. Disturbingly, new studies suggest elevated cannabis risks for depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors, especially in adolescents and young adults.

A Self-Medication Tragedy

A CDC study of 16,000 adolescents 13-18 years old found the most common reasons for marijuana/THC use were: to feel calm or relaxed (73%), have fun/experiment (50%), sleep better (44%), forget problems/ memories (44%), and alleviate anxiety or depression (40%). In contrast, a cohort of adults reported these primary uses: stress management (58%), anxiety relief (36%), and headache/pain relief (~11%) and self-medication reasons; others used the drug “to feel well” (83%) or “forget life’s problems” (20.6%). Read more.