Among Canadian university students, 11% reported medicinal cannabis use, primarily for anxiety, sleep, depression, and pain. Most medicinal uses lacked strong evidence, 38% replaced prescribed medications with cannabis, and 14% met criteria for cannabis use disorder.
University health services, psychiatrists treating young adults, and medical cannabis policy researchers.
38% of medicinal users replaced prescribed medications with cannabis
What the researchers found
52% had used cannabis at least once; 11% reported medicinal use. Among medicinal users, 85% also had recreational motives, 38% replaced traditional medication with cannabis, 78% used for at least one mental health condition, and 13.6% met CUD criteria. None of the reported ailments met Canadian prescribing guidelines or had strong evidence.
Why it matters
University students are self-medicating with cannabis for conditions lacking evidence of effectiveness, replacing evidence-based treatments, and developing use disorders. The line between medical and recreational use is blurry in this population.
The numbers in context
2,212 respondents. 52% ever used cannabis. 11% medicinal use. 85% of medicinal users also used recreationally. 38% replaced medication. 78% used for mental health. 13.6% met CUD criteria.
How the study worked
Cross-sectional web-based survey of a random sample of 4,000 Canadian university students (2,212 completed, 55.3% response rate, mean age 23.2 years).
What this study cannot tell us
Single university in Canada. Self-reported medicinal status. Cross-sectional design. Response rate, while decent, may overrepresent cannabis-interested students.
How to read the evidence
Moderate: reasonable sample size and response rate from a random university sample.
When this study was published
Published in 2019.
The bigger picture
The findings raise a troubling pattern: young people are replacing prescribed psychiatric medications with cannabis, often without medical guidance, for conditions where cannabis evidence is weak. This could lead to untreated mental illness.
Questions still open
- Are students stopping prescribed medications without clinician knowledge? Does cannabis use for mental health actually improve or worsen outcomes? Should universities screen for medicinal cannabis use during mental health assessments?
Common questions
Is cannabis effective for anxiety and depression?
Why are students replacing prescribed medications?
Read the original research
Cannabis Use for Medicinal Purposes among Canadian University Students.
Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 64(5), 351-355
Citation
Smith, Jacqueline M; Mader, Joel; Szeto, Andrew C H; Arria, Amelia M; Winters, Ken C; Wilkes, T Chris R. (2019). Cannabis Use for Medicinal Purposes among Canadian University Students.. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 64(5), 351-355. https://doi.org/10.1177/0706743718818420
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