Among 539 university students, impulsiveness mediated the relationship between problematic cannabis use and lifetime suicidal ideation and attempts, while high levels of childhood trauma strengthened the cannabis-suicide attempt association.
University counselors, suicide prevention professionals, and researchers studying cannabis-suicide links.
Impulsiveness mediated; high trauma strengthened the cannabis-suicide link
What the researchers found
Problematic cannabis use was moderately associated with suicidal ideation and attempts. Trait impulsiveness mediated the relationship between problematic cannabis use and both lifetime suicidal ideation and attempts. Previous trauma moderated the cannabis-suicide attempt relationship, with the association stronger among those with high trauma exposure.
Why it matters
Rather than focusing solely on whether cannabis causes suicidality, this study identifies which cannabis users are at highest risk: those with trait impulsiveness and trauma histories.
The numbers in context
539 university students. Impulsiveness mediated cannabis-SI and cannabis-SA relationships. Trauma moderated the cannabis-SA association (stronger at high trauma levels).
How the study worked
Cross-sectional study of 539 university students examining associations between problematic cannabis use, suicidal ideation/attempts, trait impulsiveness (mediator), and childhood trauma (moderator).
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional design prevents causal conclusions. University student sample not generalizable. Self-reported suicidal behavior. Problematic cannabis use measured by screening tool, not clinical assessment.
How to read the evidence
Cross-sectional with appropriate mediation/moderation analysis, but cannot establish causal direction.
When this study was published
Published in 2022.
The bigger picture
Suicide prevention in young cannabis users may be more effective when targeting the underlying factors (impulsiveness and trauma) rather than cannabis use alone.
Questions still open
- Would treating impulsiveness in cannabis users reduce suicide risk? Should trauma history be routinely assessed in cannabis users? Would longitudinal data confirm these mediation pathways?
Common questions
Does cannabis use cause suicidal thoughts?
Who is most at risk?
Read the original research
Examining Risk Factors in the Cannabis-Suicide Link: Considering Trauma and Impulsivity among University Students.
International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(15)
Citation
Daneshmend, Ayeila Z B; Stewart, Jayme; Jarkas, Dana A; Franklyn, Sabina I; Gabrys, Robert L; Patterson, Zachary R; Abizaid, Alfonso; Hellemans, Kim G C; McQuaid, Robyn J. (2022). Examining Risk Factors in the Cannabis-Suicide Link: Considering Trauma and Impulsivity among University Students.. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159307
Explore the wider topic
- LGBTQ+ and Cannabis: Higher Use Rates and Recovery
- Cannabis-Induced Psychosis: What It Is, Who's at Risk, and What to Do
- BetterHelp, Cerebral, and Online Therapy: Honest Review
- Quitting Weed with ADHD: Why It Is Harder and What Actually Helps
- Quitting Weed with Depression: What You Need to Know
- Quitting Weed with PTSD: A Practical Guide
- Self-Medicating with Weed: Why It Works Until It Doesn't
- Weed and OCD: Self-Medicating Intrusive Thoughts
- Weed and PTSD: What the Research Actually Shows
- Weed and Childhood Trauma: ACEs, Self-Medication, and the Path to Real Healing
- Weed and Suicidal Thoughts: What You Need to Know