Among Arkansas high school students, prescription drug abuse had the strongest association with suicidality, followed by inhalant abuse, then cannabis use.
Read this if you want to understand how different substances relate to suicide risk in teenagers.
Prescription drug abuse showed the strongest suicide link; cannabis the weakest of three
What the researchers found
Using the 2011 Arkansas Youth Risk Behavior Survey, researchers examined drug use prevalence and associations with suicidality among high school students. Three types of substance misuse were reported by more than 10% of students: cannabis (33.3% ever use), inhalants (18.7% ever use), and prescription drugs without a prescription (13.2% ever use).
All three substances were associated with suicide outcomes, but the strength of association varied: prescription drug abuse had the strongest link, followed by inhalant abuse, then cannabis. This ordering suggests that while cannabis use is the most prevalent, it may carry less suicide-specific risk than other common substances.
Why it matters
Understanding which substances carry the strongest suicide risk associations helps prioritize prevention and screening efforts. While cannabis was the most commonly used substance, prescription drug abuse showed the strongest link to suicidality.
The numbers in context
Cannabis: 33.3% ever use. Inhalants: 18.7% ever use. Prescription drugs: 13.2% ever use. Association strength with suicidality: prescription drugs > inhalants > cannabis.
How the study worked
Cross-sectional analysis of the 2011 Arkansas Youth Risk Behavior Survey examining associations between three types of substance misuse and suicide outcomes (sadness, planning, attempts).
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional design from a single state. Brief abstract with limited methodological detail. Self-reported data. Cannot establish causation between substance use and suicidality.
How to read the evidence
State-level survey data with brief analysis. Provides prevalence and association data but limited methodological detail.
When this study was published
Published in 2014 using 2011 survey data.
The bigger picture
The relative ranking of substances by suicide risk association (prescription drugs strongest, cannabis weakest among the three) is important context for school-based screening and prevention. The high prevalence of all three substances among Arkansas high schoolers reflects a broad substance use challenge.
Questions still open
- What explains the different strengths of association between substances and suicidality? Would these findings replicate in other states? Are these associations mediated by depression, impulsivity, or other factors?
Common questions
Is cannabis use linked to suicide in teenagers?
Which drug was most linked to teen suicide risk?
Read the original research
Sadness, suicide, and drug misuse in Arkansas: results from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2011.
The Journal of the Arkansas Medical Society, 110(9), 185-6
Citation
Kaley, Sean; Mancino, Michael J; Messias, Erick. (2014). Sadness, suicide, and drug misuse in Arkansas: results from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2011.. The Journal of the Arkansas Medical Society, 110(9), 185-6.
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