Association between cannabis potency and mental health in adolescence

Lindsey A Hines; Rebecca Cannings-John; Jemma Hawkins; Chris Bonell; Matthew Hickman; Stanley Zammit; Linda Adara; Julia Townson; James White

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111359

Association between cannabis potency and mental health in adolescence

Lindsey A Hines, Rebecca Cannings-John, Jemma Hawkins, Chris Bonell, Matthew Hickman, Stanley Zammit, Linda Adara, Julia Townson, James White

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In legal and illegal markets, high-potency cannabis (>10 % delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)) is increasingly available. In adult samples higher-potency cannabis has been associated with mental health disorder but no studies have considered associations in adolescence.

METHODS: A population-wide study compared no, low and high potency cannabis using adolescents (aged 13-14 years) self-reported symptoms of probable depression, anxiety, and auditory hallucinations.

RESULTS: Of the 6672 participants, high-potency cannabis was used by 2.6 % (n=171) and low-potency by 0.6 % (n=38). After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, tobacco and alcohol use, in comparison to participants who had never used cannabis, people who had used high-potency but not low-potency cannabis were more likely to report symptoms of depression (odds ratio 1.59 [95 % confidence interval 1.06, 2.39), anxiety (OR 1.45, 95 % CI 0.96, 2.20), and auditory hallucinations (OR 1.56, 95 % CI 0.98, 2.47).

CONCLUSIONS: High-potency cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of probable mental health disorders. Services and programming to minimise drug harms may need to be adapted to pay more attention to cannabis potency.

Original language	English
Article number	111359
Journal	Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Volume	261
Early online date	14 Jun 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111359
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2024

Keywords

Humans
Adolescent
Male
Female
Cannabis
Hallucinations/chemically induced
Mental Health
Depression/epidemiology
Anxiety/epidemiology
Marijuana Use/epidemiology
Dronabinol
Marijuana Smoking/psychology
Mental Disorders/epidemiology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111359Licence: CC BY

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title = "Association between cannabis potency and mental health in adolescence",

abstract = "INTRODUCTION: In legal and illegal markets, high-potency cannabis (>10 % delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)) is increasingly available. In adult samples higher-potency cannabis has been associated with mental health disorder but no studies have considered associations in adolescence.METHODS: A population-wide study compared no, low and high potency cannabis using adolescents (aged 13-14 years) self-reported symptoms of probable depression, anxiety, and auditory hallucinations.RESULTS: Of the 6672 participants, high-potency cannabis was used by 2.6 % (n=171) and low-potency by 0.6 % (n=38). After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, tobacco and alcohol use, in comparison to participants who had never used cannabis, people who had used high-potency but not low-potency cannabis were more likely to report symptoms of depression (odds ratio 1.59 [95 % confidence interval 1.06, 2.39), anxiety (OR 1.45, 95 % CI 0.96, 2.20), and auditory hallucinations (OR 1.56, 95 % CI 0.98, 2.47).CONCLUSIONS: High-potency cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of probable mental health disorders. Services and programming to minimise drug harms may need to be adapted to pay more attention to cannabis potency.",

keywords = "Humans, Adolescent, Male, Female, Cannabis, Hallucinations/chemically induced, Mental Health, Depression/epidemiology, Anxiety/epidemiology, Marijuana Use/epidemiology, Dronabinol, Marijuana Smoking/psychology, Mental Disorders/epidemiology",

author = "Hines, {Lindsey A} and Rebecca Cannings-John and Jemma Hawkins and Chris Bonell and Matthew Hickman and Stanley Zammit and Linda Adara and Julia Townson and James White",

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doi = "10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111359",

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journal = "Drug and Alcohol Dependence",

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T1 - Association between cannabis potency and mental health in adolescence

AU - Hines, Lindsey A

AU - Cannings-John, Rebecca

AU - Hawkins, Jemma

AU - Bonell, Chris

AU - Hickman, Matthew

AU - Zammit, Stanley

AU - Adara, Linda

AU - Townson, Julia

AU - White, James

PY - 2024/8/1

Y1 - 2024/8/1

N2 - INTRODUCTION: In legal and illegal markets, high-potency cannabis (>10 % delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)) is increasingly available. In adult samples higher-potency cannabis has been associated with mental health disorder but no studies have considered associations in adolescence.METHODS: A population-wide study compared no, low and high potency cannabis using adolescents (aged 13-14 years) self-reported symptoms of probable depression, anxiety, and auditory hallucinations.RESULTS: Of the 6672 participants, high-potency cannabis was used by 2.6 % (n=171) and low-potency by 0.6 % (n=38). After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, tobacco and alcohol use, in comparison to participants who had never used cannabis, people who had used high-potency but not low-potency cannabis were more likely to report symptoms of depression (odds ratio 1.59 [95 % confidence interval 1.06, 2.39), anxiety (OR 1.45, 95 % CI 0.96, 2.20), and auditory hallucinations (OR 1.56, 95 % CI 0.98, 2.47).CONCLUSIONS: High-potency cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of probable mental health disorders. Services and programming to minimise drug harms may need to be adapted to pay more attention to cannabis potency.

AB - INTRODUCTION: In legal and illegal markets, high-potency cannabis (>10 % delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)) is increasingly available. In adult samples higher-potency cannabis has been associated with mental health disorder but no studies have considered associations in adolescence.METHODS: A population-wide study compared no, low and high potency cannabis using adolescents (aged 13-14 years) self-reported symptoms of probable depression, anxiety, and auditory hallucinations.RESULTS: Of the 6672 participants, high-potency cannabis was used by 2.6 % (n=171) and low-potency by 0.6 % (n=38). After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, tobacco and alcohol use, in comparison to participants who had never used cannabis, people who had used high-potency but not low-potency cannabis were more likely to report symptoms of depression (odds ratio 1.59 [95 % confidence interval 1.06, 2.39), anxiety (OR 1.45, 95 % CI 0.96, 2.20), and auditory hallucinations (OR 1.56, 95 % CI 0.98, 2.47).CONCLUSIONS: High-potency cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of probable mental health disorders. Services and programming to minimise drug harms may need to be adapted to pay more attention to cannabis potency.

KW - Humans

KW - Adolescent

KW - Male

KW - Female

KW - Cannabis

KW - Hallucinations/chemically induced

KW - Mental Health

KW - Depression/epidemiology

KW - Anxiety/epidemiology

KW - Marijuana Use/epidemiology

KW - Dronabinol

KW - Marijuana Smoking/psychology

KW - Mental Disorders/epidemiology

U2 - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111359

DO - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111359

M3 - Article

C2 - 38896946

SN - 0376-8716

VL - 261

JO - Drug and Alcohol Dependence

JF - Drug and Alcohol Dependence

M1 - 111359

ER -

Association between cannabis potency and mental health in adolescence

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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