Cannabis Use Disorder and Suicidal Ideation in the United States: Persistent Risk and Stable Trends, 2014-2023

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychiatry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) have increased over the past 15 years.
• Perceived harm associated with cannabis use has declined, alongside policy liberalization.
• Understanding the evolving relationship between CUD and suicidal ideation is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine temporal changes in the association between CUD and past-year suicidal ideation among US adults from 2014-2023.
• To investigate if this association varied by sex, age, and race/ethnicity.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 415,861 adults in the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (2014-2023).
• Employed logistic regression models to assess the association between CUD and suicidal ideation, adjusting for covariates.
• Tested for moderation by survey year overall and within demographic strata.

Main Results:

• Adults with CUD had 57% higher odds of past-year suicidal ideation compared to those without (OR, 1.57).
• The association between CUD and suicidal ideation did not significantly change over time overall or by sex and age.
• Some variation was suggested among Hispanic respondents, but not statistically significant after correction.

Conclusions:

• Adults with CUD consistently exhibit higher odds of suicidal ideation.
• The strength of the CUD-suicidal ideation association remained stable between 2014-2023.
• No significant differences in this association were observed across sex, age, or racial/ethnic groups, despite societal shifts.