Study: Link Between Cannabis Drug and Depression: The Standard

We are witnessing a frightening increase in depression among teenagers.

There are several factors behind including social media use and post-traumatic stress disorder.
But could cannabis use also be part of the picture?
It seems so, according to the first study of its kind.
Teenagers who use cannabis are three times more likely to suffer from depression and three times more likely to commit suicide.
Tens of thousands of cases of depression are probably due to cannabis use among people under 18 years of age.
About one in 13 children aged 11 to 15 consume cannabis, and one in six children aged 16 to 24 years old.
We have long been concerned that its active ingredient, THC, harms the brain at a crucial stage of development.
The drug has been badociated with a fivefold risk of psychosis, but no link with depression has been established before.
Researchers have now badyzed 11 studies involving data on 23,000 people.
Those who had used cannabis before the age of 18 were 37% more likely to develop depression at age 32 than those who did not. They were also more than three times more likely to attempt suicide.
"Especially in adolescents, there can be a biological effect, with sometimes devastating consequences," said Andrea Cipriani, one of the authors based at Oxford University.
"Young people need to be aware of the risk."
Dr. Cipriani explained that he included only the most rigorous studies, which showed that cannabis use predated depression and considered other mental health risks. The results are robust.
He estimates that in one out of 14 cases of depression among young adults, about 60,000 cases could be attributed to cannabis use in adolescence.
"We know that cannabis use is very common and the impact is not negligible," he said.
"The message is that there may be a risk of depression among teenagers who use cannabis."
Cannabis is becoming stronger, and in Britain, high-powered skunk is the most widely used, but its long-term effects are unknown.
Dr. Cipriani said, "I think we need to stress the importance of education and prevention programs."
The damage can be permanent. The correlation between cannabis use and poor mental health is undisputed. But a new study reveals that teenagers and young adults who smoke cannabis are more likely to become anxious and depressed, even considering suicide more than non-users.
Cannabis advocates argue that young people who are already predisposed to depression are the most likely to try cannabis. Even then, they should be aware of its dangers.

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