Cannabis use linked to teen suicidal ideation, but school policies did not mediate the relationship
Among 412 youth aged 13-18, cannabis use was associated with increased suicidal ideation, but school substance misuse prevention policies and programs did not weaken this association.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Cannabis use was significantly associated with increased suicidal ideation among youth. Other associated factors included bullying, other illicit drug use, and identifying as female or other gender. School policies and programs for substance misuse prevention did not mediate the association between cannabis use and suicidal ideation.
Key Numbers
818 youth recruited, 412 provided relevant data. 27 educators surveyed about school policies. Cannabis use, bullying, other drug use, and female/other gender associated with suicidal ideation. School policies had no mediating effect.
How They Did This
Digital citizen science approach engaging 818 youth (13-18 years) and 27 educators via smartphones. Youth responded to time-triggered validated surveys and ecological momentary assessments. Educators reported on school policies. 412 youth provided data on substance use and suicidal ideation. Multivariable logistic regression and mediation analysis.
Why This Research Matters
If school-based substance prevention programs do not reduce the cannabis-suicidality link, different intervention approaches may be needed. The digital citizen science method also demonstrates a novel way to study sensitive topics in real time.
The Bigger Picture
The failure of existing school policies to mediate the cannabis-suicidality association suggests that current prevention approaches may be insufficient or misdirected for addressing this specific risk.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small analytic sample (412 of 818 recruited). Cross-sectional design. Self-reported data on sensitive topics. School policy measures may not capture implementation quality. Single geographic area.
Questions This Raises
- ?What types of school interventions would effectively address the cannabis-suicidality link?
- ?Is the digital citizen science approach more effective at capturing sensitive behaviors than traditional surveys?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- School substance prevention policies did not mediate cannabis-suicidality link
- Evidence Grade:
- Novel digital methodology but small sample, cross-sectional design, and limited geographic scope.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis use and suicidal ideation among youth: Can we democratize school policies using digital citizen science?
- Published In:
- PloS one, 17(2), e0263533 (2022)
- Authors:
- Katapally, Tarun Reddy
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03947
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do school drug prevention programs help with cannabis-related suicide risk?
In this study, school substance misuse prevention policies and programs did not mediate the association between cannabis use and suicidal ideation among youth aged 13-18.
Is cannabis use linked to suicidal thoughts in teens?
Yes. This study found cannabis use was significantly associated with suicidal ideation, alongside bullying and other illicit drug use, among 412 youth aged 13-18.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03947APA
Katapally, Tarun Reddy. (2022). Cannabis use and suicidal ideation among youth: Can we democratize school policies using digital citizen science?. PloS one, 17(2), e0263533. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263533
MLA
Katapally, Tarun Reddy. "Cannabis use and suicidal ideation among youth: Can we democratize school policies using digital citizen science?." PloS one, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263533
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis use and suicidal ideation among youth: Can we democ..." RTHC-03947. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/katapally-2022-cannabis-use-and-suicidal
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.