Women who use cannabis regularly report more suicidal thoughts and psychological distress than male counterparts
Among 43,466 Canadians, women who used cannabis regularly had significantly higher psychological distress and were more likely to report suicidal thoughts and attempts than men who used at the same frequency.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Significant sex differences were found for cannabis use and suicidal thoughts/attempts and psychological distress, but not for major depressive episodes. Occasional female users (1-4x/month) had higher distress than male counterparts. Regular female users (>1x/week) had higher distress and more suicidal thoughts and attempts than regular male users.
Key Numbers
43,466 Canadians surveyed. Occasional use (1-4x/month): women had higher psychological distress than men. Regular use (>1x/week): women had higher distress AND more suicidal thoughts/attempts. No sex difference for major depressive episodes.
How They Did This
Analysis of 2002 and 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health data (n=43,466), a nationally representative sample of Canadians aged 15+, using linear and binary logistic regressions with weighting and bootstrapping.
Why This Research Matters
Most cannabis research does not examine sex differences, yet this study shows the mental health associations differ significantly between men and women. This has direct implications for how cannabis risks are communicated and how clinicians screen for problems.
The Bigger Picture
If women are more vulnerable to cannabis-associated emotional problems, current public health messaging that treats all users the same may be inadequate. Sex-specific risk communication and clinical screening approaches may be needed.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine whether cannabis causes worse mental health in women or whether women with worse mental health are more likely to use cannabis. Self-reported measures. Combining 2002 and 2012 data spans a period of changing cannabis attitudes.
Questions This Raises
- ?What biological or social factors explain the sex difference?
- ?Is the association specific to certain cannabis products or potencies?
- ?Would these sex differences persist in a clinical sample versus a population survey?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Regular female cannabis users had significantly higher suicidal thoughts and distress than male peers
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: large nationally representative sample with appropriate statistical methods, but cross-sectional design.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2019, using 2002 and 2012 data.
- Original Title:
- Sex Differences in the Association Between Cannabis Use and Suicidal Ideation and Attempts, Depression, and Psychological Distress Among Canadians.
- Published In:
- Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 64(5), 345-350 (2019)
- Authors:
- Halladay, Jillian E(2), Boyle, Michael H, Munn, Catharine(2), Jack, Susan M, Georgiades, Katholiki
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02061
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis affect women's mental health differently than men's?
This study found women who used cannabis regularly reported more psychological distress and suicidal thoughts than men using at the same frequency. The association was not found for major depression, suggesting a specific pattern rather than generally worse outcomes.
Should women be more careful with cannabis?
The data suggests being female may be a risk factor for cannabis-associated emotional problems at higher frequencies of use. The authors recommend incorporating sex as a factor in public health messaging and clinical screening.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02061APA
Halladay, Jillian E; Boyle, Michael H; Munn, Catharine; Jack, Susan M; Georgiades, Katholiki. (2019). Sex Differences in the Association Between Cannabis Use and Suicidal Ideation and Attempts, Depression, and Psychological Distress Among Canadians.. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 64(5), 345-350. https://doi.org/10.1177/0706743718804542
MLA
Halladay, Jillian E, et al. "Sex Differences in the Association Between Cannabis Use and Suicidal Ideation and Attempts, Depression, and Psychological Distress Among Canadians.." Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1177/0706743718804542
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Sex Differences in the Association Between Cannabis Use and ..." RTHC-02061. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/halladay-2019-sex-differences-in-the
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.