Influence of Cannabis Use Disorder Symptoms on Suicidal Ideation in College Students

Abstract

The association of cannabis use and suicidal ideations in adolescents and young adults has been inconsistent. This discrepancy may reflect differences in controlled confounders but also the lack of consideration of the relationships between confounders. In particular, few studies have examined whether controlled variables mediated rather than confounded the relationship between cannabis use and suicide. Participants were 1034 college students who completed questionnaires assessing cannabis use and symptoms of cannabis use disorder (CUD), suicidal ideation, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and borderline personality traits. The dichotomic variable cannabis use versus non-use was not a significant independent predictor of suicidal ideation. Among cannabis users, the association between symptoms of CUD and suicidal ideation was significant before adjustment for confounding variables. The loss of significance of this association after control for confounders reflected the mediating effects of depressive symptoms and borderline traits on the relationship between symptoms of CUD and suicidal ideation.

Associations between cannabis use, cannabis use disorder, and mood disorders: longitudinal, genetic, and neurocognitive evidence

“…We believe the risks currently outweigh the evidence of temporary symptom relief by cannabis intoxication (Li et al 2020). This is further corroborated by the potential association between cannabis and suicide in individuals with depression (Chabrol et al 2020) or BD (Pinto et al 2019;Bartoli et al 2019).…”

“…These studies did not examine whether this link between cannabis use and suicidal behavior was moderated by depressive symptoms. More recently, Chabrol et al (2020) found a dose-response relationship between severity of CUD symptoms and suicidal ideation, which was no longer significant after controlling for depressive symptoms. This suggests that cannabis use may increase the risk of suicidal behaviors through its association with depression.…”

Cannabis use and mood disorders: a systematic review

“…These findings contrast with an epidemiological study conducted in the UK among young adults, where self-reported use of high- or low-potency cannabis did not correlate with a diagnosis of MDD after controlling for relevant factors, including other substance use ( 61 ). Similarly, Chabrol et al found no significant association between cannabis use disorder (CUD) with suicidal ideation or depressive symptoms in a sample of 1,034 French postsecondary students ( 38 ).…”

Clinical Characteristics of Suicidal Youths and Adults: A One-Year Retrospective Study

“…It is the second leading cause of death among youth after road injury [ 4 ], and its prevalence has increased by 30% from 2000 to 2016 in the US [ 3 ]. Suicidality is frequently associated with mental disorders, such as mood disorders, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, anxiety, personality disorders [ 5 , 6 , 7 ], as well as with adverse social and interpersonal conditions [ 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ], making it a phenomenon that is difficult to predict and to prevent [ 10 ]. Suicide attempts should be seen as the visible consequence of a psychological dynamic rather than like a single self-contained behavior: the suicidal dynamic is sustained by interacting psychological, life history, and social conditions and risk factors [ 3 , 11 , 12 ].…”