According to a new study that was published in JAMA Network Open, those who suffer from depression may be more likely to use cannabis.
The cross-sectional study found that people with depression were at an increased risk to use the drug and the researchers noted particularly strong increases in daily or near-daily cannabis use among this population.
“Existing evidence indicates that cannabis may worsen depressive symptoms, particularly if used regularly,” wrote Lauren R. Gorfinkel, MPH, of the department of epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and her colleages.
“However, much of the public views cannabis as helpful for treating depression. In a national survey of U.S. adults, nearly 50% reported their belief that cannabis is beneficial for anxiety or depression, while only 15% believed cannabis increases the risk [for] these conditions. Depression is among the most commonly self-reported reasons for cannabis use, and nearly 25% of adults with mood or anxiety disorders report using cannabis to self-medicate,” they added.
Gorfinkel and colleagues aimed to evaluate the association between depression and past-month cannabis use among U.S. adults, as well as the association’s time trends between 2005 and 2016.
The researchers collected data of 16,216 adults aged 20 years to 59 years who responded to the annual, cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination survey. The exposures included survey year, as well as depression according to a score of 10 or higher on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Daily or near-daily past-month cannabis use and any past-month cannabis use served as the main outcomes and measures, and the researchers used logistic regression to examine time trends.
The results found that those with depression were at 1.9 (95% CI, 1.62-2.24) times the risk for daily or near-daily cannabis use vs. those without depression.
“While further research to understand the mechanisms underlying the increasingly strong association of depression and frequent cannabis use is needed, the study findings highlight a current need for information campaigns around cannabis and depressive disorders,” Gorfinkel and colleagues also wrote.
“In addition, clinicians should be aware of the changing trends and the association between cannabis use and depressive symptoms when treating patients. This is particularly important in reference to frequent cannabis use, which is associated with greater risk [for] harm and potential worsening of depressive symptoms.”
