Cannabis Use Linked to Transitioning From Suicidal Thoughts to Suicide Attempts in Men
Among Australian men with suicidal ideation, cannabis use was associated with increased risk of making a suicide attempt, while alcohol use was not.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
In 7,464 Australian men, cannabis use significantly predicted transition from suicidal ideation to suicide attempt. Alcohol use showed no such association.
Key Numbers
7,464 adult men. Cannabis significantly predicted ideation-to-attempt transition. Alcohol did not.
How They Did This
Longitudinal analysis using waves 1 and 2 of Ten to Men: The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (n=7,464).
Why This Research Matters
Understanding which substances increase the risk of acting on suicidal thoughts is critical for prevention. The specificity of the cannabis link challenges assumptions about alcohol and suicide.
The Bigger Picture
Suicide prevention efforts often focus on alcohol. This finding suggests cannabis deserves equal attention in risk assessments for men with suicidal ideation.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Only men studied. Australian population. Self-reported cannabis use. Mechanism not examined.
Questions This Raises
- ?What mechanism explains why cannabis but not alcohol increases attempt risk?
- ?Would this replicate in women?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Cannabis predicted transition from suicidal ideation to attempt; alcohol did not
- Evidence Grade:
- Large longitudinal cohort with prospective design, limited to Australian men.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2024.
- Original Title:
- High Risk or Risky Highs: Understanding the Links Between Alcohol and Cannabis Use on the Transition From Suicidal Ideation to Attempts in Australian Men.
- Published In:
- Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research, 28(2), 600-609 (2024)
- Authors:
- Mason, Andre, Riordan, Benjamin C, Morley, Kirsten(2), Winter, Taylor, Haber, Paul, Scarf, Damian
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05526
Evidence Hierarchy
Follows a group of people over time to track how outcomes develop.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis increase suicide risk?
In men with suicidal thoughts, cannabis use was associated with increased risk of making a suicide attempt, while alcohol was not.
Is alcohol or cannabis more dangerous for suicidal people?
In this study cannabis was linked to suicide attempts among ideators, while alcohol showed no such association.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05526APA
Mason, Andre; Riordan, Benjamin C; Morley, Kirsten; Winter, Taylor; Haber, Paul; Scarf, Damian. (2024). High Risk or Risky Highs: Understanding the Links Between Alcohol and Cannabis Use on the Transition From Suicidal Ideation to Attempts in Australian Men.. Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research, 28(2), 600-609. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2023.2199801
MLA
Mason, Andre, et al. "High Risk or Risky Highs: Understanding the Links Between Alcohol and Cannabis Use on the Transition From Suicidal Ideation to Attempts in Australian Men.." Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2023.2199801
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "High Risk or Risky Highs: Understanding the Links Between Al..." RTHC-05526. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/mason-2024-high-risk-or-risky
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.