Marijuana linked to teen suicidal ideation and attempts at rates similar to tobacco and alcohol
National survey data from 2011-2017 found that adolescent marijuana use was associated with suicidal ideation and attempts at rates broadly comparable to tobacco and alcohol, with stronger associations for more frequent use.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Marijuana was more strongly associated with suicide attempts than with suicidal ideation. More frequent marijuana use was associated with significantly greater risk. The association remained stable from 2011 to 2017 despite changing attitudes toward marijuana. Results were broadly comparable to tobacco, though frequent alcohol use had a significantly stronger association than other substances.
Key Numbers
Six years of national data (2011-2017). Marijuana more strongly associated with attempts than ideation. Dose-response: more frequent use = greater risk. Association stable over time despite changing attitudes. Comparable to tobacco; weaker than frequent alcohol.
How They Did This
Analysis of the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2011-2017). Logistic regression controlling for confounders estimated marginal prevalence ratios for the association between marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol use and suicidal ideation and attempts.
Why This Research Matters
As marijuana legalization expanded between 2011 and 2017, the association between marijuana use and suicidality in teens remained unchanged, suggesting that normalization of marijuana use has not reduced this risk.
The Bigger Picture
The finding that marijuana's association with suicidality is comparable to tobacco and alcohol challenges the perception that marijuana is a lower-risk substance for adolescent mental health.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional data cannot establish causation. Self-reported substance use and suicidality. National survey may miss highest-risk youth. Cannot determine whether marijuana use preceded or followed suicidal thoughts. Confounders may not be fully controlled.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does marijuana use cause suicidal ideation, or do suicidal teens self-medicate with marijuana?
- ?Would the association hold with more recent data from states with recreational legalization?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Marijuana-suicide association comparable to tobacco, stable 2011-2017
- Evidence Grade:
- Large national survey with multiple years of data and appropriate statistical controls, but cross-sectional design limits causal inference.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022, using 2011-2017 survey data.
- Original Title:
- Marijuana Use Is Associated With Suicidal Ideation and Behavior Among US Adolescents at Rates Similar to Tobacco and Alcohol.
- Published In:
- Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research, 26(2), 520-533 (2022)
- Authors:
- Kahn, Geoffrey D, Wilcox, Holly C(2)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03942
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is marijuana linked to teen suicide?
National survey data found marijuana use associated with suicidal ideation and attempts in adolescents, with stronger associations for more frequent use and for suicide attempts versus ideation.
Has changing attitudes toward marijuana affected this risk?
No. The association between marijuana use and suicidality remained stable from 2011 to 2017, despite increasingly permissive attitudes and laws during that period.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03942APA
Kahn, Geoffrey D; Wilcox, Holly C. (2022). Marijuana Use Is Associated With Suicidal Ideation and Behavior Among US Adolescents at Rates Similar to Tobacco and Alcohol.. Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research, 26(2), 520-533. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2020.1804025
MLA
Kahn, Geoffrey D, et al. "Marijuana Use Is Associated With Suicidal Ideation and Behavior Among US Adolescents at Rates Similar to Tobacco and Alcohol.." Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2020.1804025
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Marijuana Use Is Associated With Suicidal Ideation and Behav..." RTHC-03942. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/kahn-2022-marijuana-use-is-associated
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.