Researchers note that marijuana use was not associated with an increased risk for developing mood or anxiety disorders.
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Specifically, at the three-year follow-up, marijuana users were about six times more likely to have any substance use disorder; almost three times as likely to have an alcohol disorder; and about 10 times as likely to report any marijuana use disorder. The full results of the study were published online in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence and can be viewed here. Cannabis Use and Risk of Psychiatric Disorders.
And for those people already battling an alcohol use disorder, using marijuana is likely to aggravate their dependency. Patients, doctors, advocates, and policymakers should understand that cannabis use, even for medicinal purposes, is associated with a clear risk of developing cannabis and/or other substance use disorders.
Users of the drug were found to be three times more likely to have alcohol problems and twice as likely to smoke cigarettes.
Previous studies have found links between cannabis use and increased prevalence of mental disorders, but researchers don’t know if marijuana caused the disorders or if it was simply a matter of people who are prone to mental disorders seeking out alternative treatments, such as cannabis.
The team examined data from 27,461 adults enrolled in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, who first used marijuana at a time when they no history of alcohol abuse or dependence.
“If future research confirms these findings, investigating whether preventing or delaying first use of marijuana might reduce the risk of developing alcohol use disorders among some segments of the population may be worthwhile”, Goodwin said.
Earlier research had shown that marijuana use is associated with depression and anxiety. Despite the findings, lead author Mark Olfson of Columbia University says that prior use of alcohol before marijuana should also be taken into consideration.
The impetus to the study is the rising rates of marijuana use in the general population as well as an increasing number of states legalizing recreational marijuana use and authorizing medical marijuana programs.
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All in all, this particular study is a step forward and the message coming out of it is that marijuana is not a benign drug.
