Cannabis use rising faster among depressed Americans

By Lisa Rapaport

 

FILE PHOTO: A marijuana leaf is displayed at Canna Pi medical marijuana dispensary in Seattle, Washington, November 27, 2012. REUTERS/Anthony Bolante/File Photo

 

(Reuters Health) - Regular cannabis use has risen more quickly among people with depression, and they're less likely to perceive it as risky, compared with people who aren't depressed, a U.S. study suggests.

 

Researchers examined data collected from a total of almost 729,000 people aged 12 years and older between 2005 and 2017, including any prior-month cannabis use and any depression experienced over the previous year.

 

By the final year of the study, about 19% of people with depression reported at least some cannabis use, compared with 8.7% of individuals without a recent history of depression. In 2005, about 10.2% of people with depression and 5.7% of individuals without depression used the drug.

 

The proportion of people with depression who perceived cannabis use as risky behavior also fell from 41% to 17% during the study period, compared with a decline from 52% to 33% among those without depression, according to the report in the journal Addiction.

 

"This perception of risk is decreasing more rapidly among those with depression," said Renee Goodwin of Columbia University in New York City, the study's senior author.

 

"Those with depression who perceive little or no risk associated with use have a much higher prevalence of cannabis use, relative to those who perceive higher associated risks," Goodwin said by email.

 

Current cannabis use was highest among people 18 to 25 years old with depression, at almost 30%, the study found. Usage was also common among people with depression who were male, black or unmarried, at around 23% for each group.

 

The study wasn't designed to determine whether or how depression might influence how often people use cannabis, or how they think about the risk of regular use of the drug.

 

One limitation of the study is that researchers relied on study participants to truthfully report any cannabis use or depression symptoms; they didn't have lab tests for drug use or medical records to confirm a mental health diagnosis.

 

Researchers were also unable to account for whether cannabis legalization might have impacted the proportion of people who used the drug or how participants thought about its safety, the study team notes.

 

"There is some thinking that drug use is a form of self-medication of depression, or attempted self-medication of depressive symptoms," Goodwin said.

 

Over the course of the study period, most U.S. states legalized medicinal or recreational cannabis use, or both, and it's also possible that this contributed to a reduced perception of risk, Goodwin added.

 

"There is anecdotal evidence that some folks perceive cannabis as less risky than psychiatric medicines and with legalization, (cannabis) may be less expensive and more available and associated with less stigma," Goodwin said.

 

People need to understand, however, that cannabis may actually be riskier for people with depression.

 

"There is no evidence to suggest that cannabis use will ease depression symptoms, except temporarily, and there are data to suggest that cannabis use may worsen or prolong depression," Goodwin said. "Historically, patients in treatment/recovery from depression are advised to avoid cannabis use."

 

SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2sZPLUB Addiction, online December 4, 2019.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-27

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23 minutes ago, webfact said:

The study wasn't designed to determine whether or how depression might influence how often people use cannabis, or how they think about the risk of regular use of the drug.

 

One limitation of the study is that researchers relied on study participants to truthfully report any cannabis use or depression symptoms; they didn't have lab tests for drug use or medical records to confirm a mental health diagnosis.

 

Researchers were also unable to account for whether cannabis legalization might have impacted the proportion of people who used the drug or how participants thought about its safety, the study team notes.

These are some pretty heavy duty caveats on the study; one has to wonder if, after these are accounted for, what is the remaining value of this effort?

 

Perhaps it is something as simple as people were depressed before because weed was illegal, but they are not depressed now because of legalization?

 

I think that this study could be summed up with a simple "We don't really know much. We need to smoke a bit more to find out".

 

C'mon Thailand; go for full legalization and join studies like this; your tourism numbers will rise, new medicines will be created, new multi-billion dollar companies will form, traditional medicines will be validated, and the people won't be so bummed out about their future.

 

Win Win Win Win Win

 

 

 

Edited December 26, 20196 yr by Samui Bodoh

37 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

These are some pretty heavy duty caveats on the study; one has to wonder if, after these are accounted for, what is the remaining value of this effort?

 

Perhaps it is something as simple as people were depressed before because weed was illegal, but they are not depressed now because of legalization?

 

I think that this study could be summed up with a simple "We don't really know much. We need to smoke a bit more to find out".

 

C'mon Thailand; go for full legalization and join studies like this; your tourism numbers will rise, new medicines will be created, new multi-billion dollar companies will form, traditional medicines will be validated, and the people won't be so bummed out about their future.

 

Win Win Win Win Win

 

 

 

 

If weed is ever legalized in Thailand buy the parent company of 7/11 which is CP if I remember correctly. Munchy munchy combined with the bad money management skills of chronic stoners will drive that company to new found highs.

I often think that Emile Durkheim's concept of "anomie" is far better than our use of the catch all term of "depression" nowadays..

 

Normlessness,formlessness and drifting.Marijuana won't get you out of that cycle.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Usage was also common among people with depression who were male, black or unmarried, at around 23% for each group.

If you are an unmarried black male do you get counted 3 times, or is your usage likely to be 69%?

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Current cannabis use was highest among people 18 to 25 years old with depression,

More likely it's getting used by people that are unhappy, dissatisfied, or don't earn enough money to attract a partner.

Young people are losing hope in the west, I can't say I blame them.

Edited December 27, 20196 yr by BritManToo

Chicken and Egg - which one came first?? 

Being a dope is why they smoke, or smoking dope makes them a dope.

 

 

Off topic posts and replies reported and removed.  

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

More likely it's getting used by people that are unhappy, dissatisfied, or don't earn enough money to attract a partner.

Young people are losing hope in the west, I can't say I blame them.

 

You can't get any ass these days. We listen to remakes of "Baby it's cold out" 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

One limitation of the study is that researchers relied on study participants to truthfully report any cannabis use or depression symptoms; they didn't have lab tests for drug use or medical records to confirm a mental health diagnosis.

Boom...

Marijuana is great for treating depression. A lot better than OxyContin or some other prescribed addictive, deadly drugs. 

I live in California, where marijuana is legal for both medical and recreational use. I am certainly not depressed. I have a point. Man, I'm hungry. But do you see what point I'm trying to make?

Its a plant. Its your body and your life. Whatever folks want to do with a plant is fine.

 

Me? I love smoking weed, let me tell you, you know you are home when you pull out of LAX and there is a big billboard for MedMen.

From the link above:

 

Has anyone any idea what it means?

 

Conclusions

The prevalence of cannabis use in the United States increased from 2005 to 2017 among people with and without depression and was approximately twice as common among those with depression. People with depression experienced a more rapid decrease in perception of risk, which may be related to the more rapid increase in any and daily past‐month cannabis use in this group.

Number of depressed Americans is far outpacing number of folks using pot to treat depression. A growth industry. Sales at all time high.

big pharma is worried..

The Trump effect? (on some people)

4 hours ago, faraday said:

From the link above:

 

Has anyone any idea what it means?

 

Conclusions

The prevalence of cannabis use in the United States increased from 2005 to 2017 among people with and without depression and was approximately twice as common among those with depression. People with depression experienced a more rapid decrease in perception of risk, which may be related to the more rapid increase in any and daily past‐month cannabis use in this group.

It means people with depression are twice as likely to get relief from medical marijuana and that this relief has made them more aware that less risk is involved in green, than in lab manufactured alternatives.