Cannabis Use Linked to Transitioning From Suicidal Thoughts to Suicide Attempts in Men | Research

The takeaway

Among Australian men with suicidal ideation, cannabis use was associated with increased risk of making a suicide attempt, while alcohol use was not.

Mental health clinicians, suicide prevention specialists, and substance use researchers.

Cannabis predicted transition from suicidal ideation to attempt; alcohol did not

What the researchers found

In 7,464 Australian men, cannabis use significantly predicted transition from suicidal ideation to suicide attempt. Alcohol use showed no such association.

Why it 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 numbers in context

7,464 adult men. Cannabis significantly predicted ideation-to-attempt transition. Alcohol did not.

How the study worked

Longitudinal analysis using waves 1 and 2 of Ten to Men: The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (n=7,464).

What this study cannot tell us

Only men studied. Australian population. Self-reported cannabis use. Mechanism not examined.

How to read the evidence

Large longitudinal cohort with prospective design, limited to Australian men.

When this study was published

Published in 2024.

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.

Questions still open

What mechanism explains why cannabis but not alcohol increases attempt risk?
Would this replicate in women?

Common 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 the original research

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

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

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