Growing Concerns: A systematic review and Meta-Analysis of cannabis use and mental health risks in youth
- PMID:41145103
- DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108528
Growing Concerns: A systematic review and Meta-Analysis of cannabis use and mental health risks in youth
Abstract
Cannabis is the most widely consumed illicit drug globally. In 2021, 46 % of countries identified cannabis as the predominant substance associated with drug abuse disorders, with 34 % indicating it as the primary cause for seeking treatment. Young individuals represent the largest consumer demographic, experiencing substantial negative health effects. Despite extensive research on its mental health impacts, many aspects remain unclear. This study examines cannabis use among young people including anxiety, depression, and suicidal behavior. Studies involving individuals aged 15-30 were included. Data sources included PubMed, Mendeley, Embase, WOS, CINAHL, and Scopus. After screening 6466 articles, 36 met the inclusion criteria, with 18 included in the meta-analysis. These studies were published between 2013 and 2025. The results indicated that the odds of depression were 51 % higher in young cannabis users (OR = 1.51, 95 %CI = 1.23-1.86), decreasing to 28 % after adjustment (aOR = 1.28, 95 %CI = 1.10-1.50). Anxiety showed a 58 % increase (OR = 1.58, 95 %CI = 1.15-2.15). For suicidal ideation, the increase ranged from 50 % in unadjusted models (OR = 1.50, 95 %CI = 1.05-2.14) to 65 % in adjusted models (aOR = 1.65 95 %CI = 1.40-1.93). Finally, the odds of suicide attempt were 87 % higher (OR = 1.87, 95 %CI = 1.25-2.80), remaining elevated at 80 % after adjustment (aOR = 1.80, 95 %CI = 1.30-2.49).
Keywords: Anxiety; Cannabis; Despression; Mental health; Suicide; Youth.
Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Conflict of interest statement
Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
Miscellaneous