Daily cannabis users had more suicidal thoughts, and feeling like a burden to others explained why
Daily cannabis use was linked to suicidal ideation through perceived burdensomeness, but only when combined with feelings of not belonging, supporting a psychological theory of how cannabis use connects to suicide risk.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 209 current cannabis-using college students, daily users (n=39) had more suicidal ideation than less frequent users (n=160). The direct link between daily use and suicidal ideation disappeared after accounting for two interpersonal factors: perceived burdensomeness (feeling like a burden to others) and thwarted belongingness (feeling disconnected from others).
Specifically, daily cannabis use predicted suicidal ideation indirectly through perceived burdensomeness, but only when thwarted belongingness was also high. Neither factor alone explained the association. This pattern is consistent with the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS), which posits that wanting to die requires both feeling burdensome and feeling disconnected.
Key Numbers
209 cannabis-using undergraduates. 39 daily users vs 160 less frequent users. 76.1% female. The indirect effect of daily cannabis use on suicidal ideation through perceived burdensomeness was significant only at higher levels of thwarted belongingness.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional moderated mediation analysis of 209 cannabis-using undergraduates (76.1% female). Daily users (n=39) were compared with less frequent users (n=160) on measures of suicidal ideation, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness from the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire.
Why This Research Matters
This study moves beyond showing that cannabis use correlates with suicidality to identifying a psychological mechanism: interpersonal dysfunction. If daily cannabis use leads to feeling like a burden and feeling disconnected, and these feelings drive suicidal thinking, then interventions targeting social functioning in heavy cannabis users could reduce suicide risk.
The Bigger Picture
The IPTS framework suggests that cannabis-related suicidality is not just a pharmacological effect of the drug but involves the social consequences of heavy use. Daily cannabis use may erode social connections and amplify feelings of being a burden, which in combination create suicidal desire. This social mechanism is potentially modifiable.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot establish temporal ordering. The sample was predominantly female college students, limiting generalizability. Daily users were a small group (n=39). Self-report measures of suicidal ideation may underrepresent true levels. The study cannot determine whether cannabis causes the interpersonal difficulties or vice versa.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does reducing cannabis use improve perceived burdensomeness and belongingness?
- ?Would social skills interventions for daily cannabis users reduce suicidal ideation?
- ?Do these interpersonal mechanisms also apply to non-college daily cannabis users?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Daily cannabis use linked to suicidal ideation through perceived burdensomeness + thwarted belongingness
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-sectional survey of college students. Tests a specific theoretical model but cannot establish causation due to the study design.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2017. The interpersonal-psychological approach to understanding cannabis-suicide links continues to be explored.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis use and suicidal ideation: Test of the utility of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide.
- Published In:
- Psychiatry research, 253, 256-259 (2017)
- Authors:
- Buckner, Julia D(11), Lemke, Austin W, Walukevich, Katherine A
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01344
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis cause suicidal thoughts?
This study found that the link between daily cannabis use and suicidal thoughts was explained by interpersonal factors: feeling like a burden and feeling disconnected. This suggests the pathway may be through social consequences of heavy use rather than a direct pharmacological effect, though the cross-sectional design cannot confirm causation.
What is the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide?
The IPTS proposes that wanting to die requires two simultaneous conditions: perceived burdensomeness (believing you are a burden to others) and thwarted belongingness (feeling disconnected from meaningful relationships). This study found that daily cannabis use operated through this framework.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01344APA
Buckner, Julia D; Lemke, Austin W; Walukevich, Katherine A. (2017). Cannabis use and suicidal ideation: Test of the utility of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide.. Psychiatry research, 253, 256-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2017.04.001
MLA
Buckner, Julia D, et al. "Cannabis use and suicidal ideation: Test of the utility of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide.." Psychiatry research, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2017.04.001
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis use and suicidal ideation: Test of the utility of t..." RTHC-01344. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/buckner-2017-cannabis-use-and-suicidal
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.