Cannabis use during the pandemic was associated with higher suicidal thinking among Canadian adults
Canadian adults who increased cannabis use during the COVID-19 pandemic had nearly twice the odds of suicidal ideation, with social isolation and pre-existing depression also being strong risk factors.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Those who reported increased cannabis use during the pandemic had 1.97 times higher odds of suicidal ideation. Cannabis consumers during the pandemic had 1.51 times higher odds. Pre-pandemic depression (OR 3.14) and continued negative impacts of social isolation (OR 1.53) were also significantly associated with suicidal thinking.
Key Numbers
4,005 adults surveyed. Increased cannabis use: OR 1.97 for suicidal ideation. Cannabis use during pandemic: OR 1.51. Pre-pandemic depression: OR 3.14. Social isolation: OR 1.53.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional survey of 4,005 Canadian adults aged 18+ conducted April 20-28, 2021 by Mental Health Research Canada. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for demographics, mental health conditions, social isolation, and substance use.
Why This Research Matters
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health challenges. Understanding how cannabis use during the pandemic related to suicidal ideation informs crisis-period intervention strategies.
The Bigger Picture
Whether increased cannabis use during the pandemic reflected self-medication for worsening mental health or independently contributed to suicidal ideation cannot be determined from this cross-sectional study.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design at a single pandemic time point. Self-reported cannabis use and mental health. Cannot determine whether cannabis use preceded or followed suicidal thoughts.
Questions This Raises
- ?Did people increase cannabis use because they were experiencing suicidal thoughts, or did increased use contribute to those thoughts?
- ?How did cannabis use patterns change across different pandemic phases?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 1.97x higher odds of suicidal ideation with increased pandemic cannabis use
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate sample size with appropriate adjustments, but single time-point cross-sectional design during an unusual period limits generalizability.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022 with data from April 2021.
- Original Title:
- Suicidal ideation among Canadian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of psychosocial factors and substance use behaviours.
- Published In:
- BMC psychiatry, 22(1), 711 (2022)
- Authors:
- Geda, Nigatu, Feng, Cindy, Peters, Brice
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03864
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did cannabis use cause suicidal thoughts during the pandemic?
The study found an association but cannot determine causation. People experiencing worsening mental health during the pandemic may have increased cannabis use as self-medication, rather than cannabis causing the suicidal ideation.
What were the strongest risk factors for suicidal ideation?
Pre-pandemic depression (OR 3.14) was the strongest factor, followed by depression since COVID (OR 3.02), increased cannabis use (OR 1.97), pre-pandemic anxiety (OR 1.63), and social isolation (OR 1.53).
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03864APA
Geda, Nigatu; Feng, Cindy; Peters, Brice. (2022). Suicidal ideation among Canadian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of psychosocial factors and substance use behaviours.. BMC psychiatry, 22(1), 711. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04353-9
MLA
Geda, Nigatu, et al. "Suicidal ideation among Canadian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of psychosocial factors and substance use behaviours.." BMC psychiatry, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04353-9
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Suicidal ideation among Canadian adults during the COVID-19 ..." RTHC-03864. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/geda-2022-suicidal-ideation-among-canadian
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.