Cannabis Use in Veterans Is Mostly Linked to Negative Health Outcomes
A comprehensive review of 86 studies found cannabis use in military veterans was consistently associated with other substance use, psychiatric disorders, and self-harm/suicidality, with very few studies examining therapeutic benefits.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Across 86 included studies, cannabis use in veterans was consistently associated with other substance use, psychiatric disorders, and self-harm/suicidality. The literature was dominated by cross-sectional designs (67%) of predominantly male U.S. veterans, with very few studies examining cannabis as therapy.
Key Numbers
501 articles identified; 86 met criteria; 67% cross-sectional; 71.4-100% male; 93% from U.S.; consistent associations with other substance use, psychiatric disorders, and self-harm/suicidality; few therapeutic efficacy studies.
How They Did This
Comprehensive review of 86 studies from 501 identified articles examining correlates and consequences of cannabis use among military veterans, using systematic search strategies.
Why This Research Matters
Veterans disproportionately suffer from conditions like PTSD and chronic pain that drive cannabis use, yet the evidence base for therapeutic benefit is remarkably thin compared to evidence of associations with negative outcomes.
The Bigger Picture
The significant imbalance between evidence of harms and evidence of benefits does not necessarily mean cannabis is harmful for veterans; it may reflect research priorities and funding patterns that have favored studying negative associations over therapeutic potential.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Predominance of cross-sectional designs prevents causal conclusions; heavily male U.S. veteran samples limit generalizability; lack of therapeutic efficacy studies creates an incomplete picture; selection bias in study populations.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would well-designed clinical trials of cannabis therapies for veteran-specific conditions change the evidence balance?
- ?Does cannabis use cause psychiatric problems in veterans or do psychiatric problems drive cannabis use?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Cannabis in veterans was consistently associated with psychiatric disorders and self-harm across 86 studies
- Evidence Grade:
- Comprehensive review with systematic search, limited by the predominance of cross-sectional, observational designs in the underlying literature.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis use among military veterans: A great deal to gain or lose?
- Published In:
- Clinical psychology review, 84, 101958 (2021)
- Authors:
- Turna, Jasmine(2), MacKillop, James(29)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03584
Evidence Hierarchy
Analyzes all available research on a topic using a structured method.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is cannabis safe for veterans?
This review found cannabis use was consistently associated with negative outcomes including other substance use, psychiatric disorders, and self-harm in veterans. However, very few studies have tested whether cannabis therapies actually help with veteran-specific conditions.
Does cannabis help with PTSD in veterans?
The review found almost no rigorous studies testing cannabis as therapy for veterans. The evidence linking cannabis to negative outcomes largely comes from observational studies that cannot determine which came first: the cannabis use or the health problems.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03584APA
Turna, Jasmine; MacKillop, James. (2021). Cannabis use among military veterans: A great deal to gain or lose?. Clinical psychology review, 84, 101958. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2021.101958
MLA
Turna, Jasmine, et al. "Cannabis use among military veterans: A great deal to gain or lose?." Clinical psychology review, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2021.101958
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis use among military veterans: A great deal to gain o..." RTHC-03584. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/turna-2021-cannabis-use-among-military
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.