TY - JOUR
T1 - Cannabis and Mental Health
T2 - Adverse Outcomes and Self-Reported Impact of Cannabis Use by Mental Health Status
AU - Rup, Jennifer
AU - Freeman, Tom P.
AU - Perlman, Chris
AU - Hammond, David
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Bridge Grant (PJT-153342) and a CIHR Project Grant. Additional support was provided by a Public Health Agency of Canada-CIHR Chair in Applied Public Health (Hammond). The funding source had no involvement in project implementation or the preparation of this manuscript.
PY - 2022/12/31
Y1 - 2022/12/31
N2 - Background: Cannabis can induce negative outcomes among consumers with mental health conditions. This study examined medical help-seeking behavior, patterns of adverse effects, and perceived impacts of cannabis among consumers with and without mental health conditions. Methods: Data came from the International Cannabis Policy Study, via online surveys conducted in 2018. Respondents included 6,413 past 12-month cannabis consumers aged 16–65, recruited from commercial panels in Canada and the US. Regression models examined differences in adverse health effects and perceived impact of cannabis among those with and without self-reported past 12-month experience of anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, psychosis. Results: Overall, 7% of past 12-month consumers reported seeking medical help for adverse effects of cannabis, including panic, dizziness, nausea. Help-seeking was greater for those with psychosis (13.8%: AOR = 1.78; 1.11–2.87), depression (8.9%: AOR = 1.57; 1.28–1.93), and bipolar disorder (10.1%: AOR = 1.53; 1.44–2.74). Additionally, 54.1% reported using cannabis to manage symptoms of mental health, with higher rates among those with bipolar (90.8%) and PTSD (90.7%). Consumers reporting >1 condition were more likely to perceive positive impacts on friendships, physical/mental health, family life, work, studies, quality of life (all p <.001). Consumers with psychosis were most likely to perceive negative effects across categories. Conclusion: For conditions with substantial evidence suggesting cannabis is harmful, greater help-seeking behaviors and self-perceived negative effects were observed. Consumers with mental health conditions generally perceive cannabis to have a positive impact on their lives. The relationship between cannabis and mental health is disorder specific and may include a combination of perceived benefits and harms.
AB - Background: Cannabis can induce negative outcomes among consumers with mental health conditions. This study examined medical help-seeking behavior, patterns of adverse effects, and perceived impacts of cannabis among consumers with and without mental health conditions. Methods: Data came from the International Cannabis Policy Study, via online surveys conducted in 2018. Respondents included 6,413 past 12-month cannabis consumers aged 16–65, recruited from commercial panels in Canada and the US. Regression models examined differences in adverse health effects and perceived impact of cannabis among those with and without self-reported past 12-month experience of anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, psychosis. Results: Overall, 7% of past 12-month consumers reported seeking medical help for adverse effects of cannabis, including panic, dizziness, nausea. Help-seeking was greater for those with psychosis (13.8%: AOR = 1.78; 1.11–2.87), depression (8.9%: AOR = 1.57; 1.28–1.93), and bipolar disorder (10.1%: AOR = 1.53; 1.44–2.74). Additionally, 54.1% reported using cannabis to manage symptoms of mental health, with higher rates among those with bipolar (90.8%) and PTSD (90.7%). Consumers reporting >1 condition were more likely to perceive positive impacts on friendships, physical/mental health, family life, work, studies, quality of life (all p <.001). Consumers with psychosis were most likely to perceive negative effects across categories. Conclusion: For conditions with substantial evidence suggesting cannabis is harmful, greater help-seeking behaviors and self-perceived negative effects were observed. Consumers with mental health conditions generally perceive cannabis to have a positive impact on their lives. The relationship between cannabis and mental health is disorder specific and may include a combination of perceived benefits and harms.
KW - adverse effects
KW - Cannabis
KW - health outcomes
KW - marijuana
KW - mental health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85125326378&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10826084.2022.2034872
DO - 10.1080/10826084.2022.2034872
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85125326378
VL - 57
SP - 719
EP - 729
JO - Substance Use & Misuse
JF - Substance Use & Misuse
SN - 1082-6084
IS - 5
ER -