Cannabis use linked to elevated suicide risk in Colombian high school students
Among 1,462 high school students in Colombia, lifetime cannabis use was associated with nearly twice the odds of high suicide risk after adjusting for other variables.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Lifetime cannabis use prevalence was 11.6% and high suicide risk was 13.3%. Cannabis use was associated with high suicide risk after adjustment (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.23-2.88).
Key Numbers
1,462 students; mean age 14.4 years; 60.3% female; 11.6% lifetime cannabis use; 13.3% high suicide risk; adjusted OR = 1.88 (95% CI: 1.23-2.88).
How They Did This
Cross-sectional study with probabilistic sample of 1,462 high school students aged 13-17 in Santa Marta, Colombia. Suicide risk quantified using the CES-D suicide ideation scale, with scores above 8 categorized as high risk.
Why This Research Matters
This provides data on cannabis-suicide associations in a Latin American adolescent population, where such research has been limited.
The Bigger Picture
While several studies have found associations between adolescent cannabis use and suicidal ideation, cross-sectional designs cannot determine whether cannabis contributes to suicide risk or whether shared underlying factors drive both.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference; single Colombian city may not generalize; self-reported measures; did not account for polysubstance use; lifetime cannabis use measure does not distinguish frequency or recency.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would this association hold after controlling for other substance use?
- ?Does the relationship reflect shared risk factors rather than a direct cannabis effect?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Adjusted OR = 1.88 for high suicide risk among lifetime cannabis users
- Evidence Grade:
- Single cross-sectional study in one Colombian city with self-reported measures and no control for polysubstance use.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2020.
- Original Title:
- Association between the use of Cannabis and elevated suicide risk in high school adolescents from Santa Marta, Colombia.
- Published In:
- Biomedica : revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud, 40(3), 569-577 (2020)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02448
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does this prove cannabis causes suicidal thoughts in teenagers?
No. This cross-sectional study found an association but cannot determine causation. The relationship could run in either direction, or both cannabis use and suicide risk could stem from shared underlying factors.
How does this compare to findings in other countries?
The association is consistent with similar studies in North American and European populations, though some longitudinal studies have found the link weakens or disappears after controlling for other substance use.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02448APA
Campo-Arias, Adalberto; Suárez-Colorado, Yuly Paola; Caballero-Domínguez, Carmen Cecilia. (2020). Association between the use of Cannabis and elevated suicide risk in high school adolescents from Santa Marta, Colombia.. Biomedica : revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud, 40(3), 569-577. https://doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.4988
MLA
Campo-Arias, Adalberto, et al. "Association between the use of Cannabis and elevated suicide risk in high school adolescents from Santa Marta, Colombia.." Biomedica : revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud, 2020. https://doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.4988
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Association between the use of Cannabis and elevated suicide..." RTHC-02448. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/campo-arias-2020-association-between-the-use
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.