Prevalence of mental health disorders more pronounced in those who use cannabis: study

Cannabis use was linked to a higher prevalence of generalized anxeity disorder, major depressive disorder and suicidality in a study of Canadian survey data. That connection was stronger in a population sample from 2022 than in one from 2012. While the associations don’t prove causation, the results suggest the importance of routinely screening for cannabis use in people struggling with mental health, particularly with what the authors call internalizing problems. The findings also highlight the need to strive for earlier detection of anxiety, depression and suicidality among those who use cannabis.“It’s important for people to recognize when and how their cannabis use may be impacting their mental health, and how their mental health may be influencing their cannabis use. It’s also increasingly important for health and mental health providers to assess and address both cannabis use and mental health concerns together,” said lead author Jillian Halladay in a press release. Halladay is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing at McMaster University and youth substance use research lead at the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research in Hamilton, Ont. Halladay and fellow researchers used data from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey’s mental health component and the 2022 Mental Health and Access to Care survey. They looked at the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, suicidality and cannabis use. The survey respondents were 15 years old and older. The prevalence for generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and any cannabis use almost doubled from 2012 to 2022, while the prevalence suicidality was unchanged in the general population, except for a 44% rise in people aged 15 to 24 years old.People who used cannabis at all were more likely to meet criteria for generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, or report suicidality, compared to those who did not use cannabis. In 2022, those who used cannabis were five times more likely to report those mental health issues compared to those who did not use cannabis. The link between the internalizing problems and cannabis use remained after adjusting for alcohol use and smoking, suggesting there is a distinct association between cannabis use and these mental health disorders.The increase in cannabis use corresponds to its legalization, as it wasn’t yet legal for personal use in 2012. Legalization reduced the perception of cannabis causing harm, and there was an increase in perceived therapeutic benefits, the authors note. This might have led to more people using cannabis to deal with internalizing problems. They also point out that levels of THC in cannabis have increased since 2012, and evidence suggests higher potency could increase the risk of psychotic disorders and internalizing problems in youth. The researchers also call for more harm reduction efforts and an update in Canada’s lower-risk cannabis use guidelines to include internalizing disorder-related recommendations. They cite that screening for cannabis use in mental health disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder and depression, is considered best practice.The concurrence of cannabis use and mental health problems was also seen in another study by the researchers. It analyzed data from Ontario students in middle and high school. The group found that students who used cannabis 40 or more times a year reported an 18% higher prevalence of psychological distress compared to those who didn’t use cannabis. That study was published in Addiction in January 2026.The same group released a study in 2019 that examined cannabis use and mental health in adults with data from 2002 and 2012.The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry published the new paper.

Prevalence of mental health disorders more pronounced in those who use cannabis: study

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