Julie Gardener
New Member
Cannabis and suicide: longitudinal study.
Price C, Hemmingsson T, Lewis G, Zammit S, Allebeck P.
Source
Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
Br J Psychiatry. 2009 Dec;195(6):492-7.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Some studies suggest that cannabis use is associated with suicidal ideation, but no detailed longitudinal study has examined suicide as an outcome.
AIMS:
To examine the association between cannabis use and completed suicide.
METHOD:
A longitudinal study investigated 50 087 men conscripted for Swedish military service, with cannabis use measured non-anonymously at conscription. Suicides during 33 years of follow-up were identified by linkage with the National Cause of Death Register.
RESULTS:
There were 600 (1.2% of cohort) suicides or deaths from undetermined causes. Cannabis use was associated with an increased risk of suicide (crude OR for 'ever use' 1.62, 95% CI 1.28-2.07), but this association was eliminated after adjustment for confounding (adjusted OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.65-1.20).
CONCLUSIONS:
Although there was a strong association between cannabis use and suicide, this was explained by markers of psychological and behavioural problems. These results suggest that cannabis use is unlikely to have a strong effect on risk of completed suicide, either directly or as a consequence of mental health problems secondary to its use.
PMID: 19949196 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Source: Cannabis and suicide: longitudinal study. [Br J Psychiatry. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI
Price C, Hemmingsson T, Lewis G, Zammit S, Allebeck P.
Source
Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
Br J Psychiatry. 2009 Dec;195(6):492-7.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Some studies suggest that cannabis use is associated with suicidal ideation, but no detailed longitudinal study has examined suicide as an outcome.
AIMS:
To examine the association between cannabis use and completed suicide.
METHOD:
A longitudinal study investigated 50 087 men conscripted for Swedish military service, with cannabis use measured non-anonymously at conscription. Suicides during 33 years of follow-up were identified by linkage with the National Cause of Death Register.
RESULTS:
There were 600 (1.2% of cohort) suicides or deaths from undetermined causes. Cannabis use was associated with an increased risk of suicide (crude OR for 'ever use' 1.62, 95% CI 1.28-2.07), but this association was eliminated after adjustment for confounding (adjusted OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.65-1.20).
CONCLUSIONS:
Although there was a strong association between cannabis use and suicide, this was explained by markers of psychological and behavioural problems. These results suggest that cannabis use is unlikely to have a strong effect on risk of completed suicide, either directly or as a consequence of mental health problems secondary to its use.
PMID: 19949196 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Source: Cannabis and suicide: longitudinal study. [Br J Psychiatry. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI
