Legalizing marijuana is not associated with an increased risk of mental illness or suicide, despite what some opponents of the policy change have argued, according to a new study.<\/p>\n
In fact, the study found that legalizing cannabis is associated with a 6.29 percent decrease in suicide among males aged 40-49.<\/p>\n
The relationship between marijuana and mental health has been a topic of significant interest for both proponents and opponents of cannabis reform.<\/p>\n
Advocates have pointed to studies showing that marijuana appears to effectively treat certain conditions and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for example. On the other side, prohibitionists have maintained that cannabis leads to severe mental illness and an increased risk of suicidality.<\/p>\n
Researchers with the , Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Yale Law School, Cato Institute, Reason Foundation and others decided to investigate<\/a> the issue, looking to see if the conclusions of an earlier 2013 study have held up in the years since as more state marijuana markets have been created or evolved.<\/p>\n In 2013, a study found that there was no relationship between state-level medical cannabis legalization and mental illness. The researchers followed the methodology of that study for an update, performing \u201ca state\u2010\u200blevel longitudinal analysis using suicide rates from the National Center for Health Statistics and mental health morbidity rates from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe found that recreational marijuana access was associated with a 6.29 percent reduction in suicide rates for males aged 40 to 49, but no other mental health outcomes were otherwise affected by liberalization of marijuana laws,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n The scientists are previewing their findings, but it\u2019s still in the process of undergoing peer review and is set to be published in \u201ca major scientific journal,\u201d one of the authors said. Data used in the research covered all 50 states and Washington, D.C. from 1999 to 2019.<\/p>\n \u201cAdverse mental health outcomes do not follow cannabis liberalization at the state level, confirming the findings [the 2013 study],\u201d the investigators found. \u201cIn addition, there is evidence that recreational marijuana access reduces suicide rates for middle-aged males.\u201d<\/p>\n This study found that recreational marijuana access was associated with a 6.29% reduction in suicide rates for males aged 40 to 49, but no other mental health outcomes were otherwise affected by liberalization of marijuana laws.<\/p>\n Read here: https:\/\/t.co\/gUw2vXhgZY<\/a> #CatoHealth<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/pfDzfAtvZX<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Cato Institute (@CatoInstitute) October 29, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n \u201cThe use of any drug, psychoactive or otherwise, entails certain risks along with any benefits. Cannabis is no exception,\u201d the study authors wrote. \u201cCritics of marijuana legalization point to studies showing correlations between heavy cannabis use and suicide, depression, and mental health disorders. However, such studies that demonstrate correlation have yet to confirm causation, which should be determined by a model\u2019s ability to predict.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe propose as medicinal and recreational use of marijuana becomes more widespread and mainstream, concerns about the correlation between marijuana use and depression should not interfere with state or federal efforts to decriminalize or legalize cannabis,\u201d they continued. \u201cIn fact, legalization will have the salutary effect of allowing more rigorous research\u2014now inhibited by federal prohibition\u2014into the further benefits, as well as any other potential harms, from the long-term use of marijuana, and promote safer use.\u201d<\/p>\n A more narrowly focused study published in 2019 also found that people suffering from PTSD who consume marijuana experience significantly fewer depressive episodes<\/a> and lower rates of suicidal ideation compared to non-users.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, recent research has also challenged other prohibitionist narratives about legalization.<\/p>\n For example, a newly released federal survey found that youth marijuana use dropped in 2020<\/a> amid the coronavirus pandemic and as more states moved to enact legalization.<\/p>\n A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in September also found that rates of adolescent cannabis consumption does not increase<\/a>\u00a0after states enact legalization for medical or recreational use.<\/p>\n National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director Nora Volkow also conceded in a recent interview that\u00a0legalization has not led to increased youth use<\/a>\u00a0despite her prior fears.<\/p>\n A federal report released in May also\u00a0challenged the prohibitionist narrative<\/a>\u00a0that state-level marijuana legalization leads to increased youth use.<\/p>\n The U.S. Department of Education\u2019s National Center for Education Statistics also analyzed youth surveys of high school students from 2009 to 2019 and concluded that there\u2019s been \u201cno measurable difference\u201d in the percentage of those in grades 9-12 who reported consuming cannabis at least once in the past 30 days.<\/p>\n In a separate, earlier analysis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that marijuana consumption among high school students declined during the peak years of state-legal recreational cannabis legalization.<\/p>\n There was\u00a0\u201cno change\u201d in the rate of current cannabis use<\/a>\u00a0among high school students from 2009-2019, the survey found. When analyzed using a quadratic change model, however, lifetime marijuana consumption decreased during that period.<\/p>\n A federally funded Monitoring the Future report released late last year found that cannabis consumption among adolescents \u201cdid not significantly change<\/a>\u00a0in any of the three grades for lifetime use, past 12-month use, past 30-day use, and daily use from 2019-2020.\u201d<\/p>\n Another study released by Colorado officials last year showed that\u00a0youth cannabis consumption in the state \u201chas not significantly changed since legalization\u201d<\/a>\u00a0in 2012, though methods of consumption are diversifying.<\/p>\n An official with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy\u2019s National Marijuana Initiative went even further last year, admitting that, for reasons that are unclear,\u00a0youth consumption of cannabis \u201cis going down\u201d in Colorado<\/a>\u00a0and other legalized states and that it\u2019s \u201ca good thing\u201d even if \u201cwe don\u2019t understand why.\u201d<\/p>\n Past studies looking at teen use rates after legalization have found declines in consumption or a similar lack of evidence indicating there\u2019s been an increase.<\/p>\n In 2019, for example, a study took data from Washington State and determined that declining youth marijuana consumption could be explained by replacing the illicit market with regulations or the \u201closs of novelty appeal among youths.\u201d Another study from last year\u00a0showed declining youth cannabis consumption<\/a>\u00a0in legalized states but didn\u2019t suggest possible explanations.<\/p>\n Mississippi Governor Dodges Questions About Medical Marijuana Special Session When Confronted By Patient Advocates<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer.<\/em><\/p>\n The post Marijuana Legalization Is Not Associated With Increased Mental Illness Or Suicide, New Study Finds, Despite Opposition Claims<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Legalizing marijuana is not associated with an increased risk of mental illness or suicide, despite what some opponents of the policy change have argued, according to a new study. In fact, the study found that legalizing cannabis is associated with a 6.29 percent decrease in suicide among males aged 40-49.Continue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15462],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50843"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50843"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50843\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50844,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50843\/revisions\/50844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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\nRead More: Marijuana Legalization Is Not Associated With Increased Mental Illness Or Suicide, New Study Finds, Despite Opposition Claims<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"