Recent psychiatric research indicates that people who suffer from either psychosis spectrum disorders or Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) have increased suicide risks. Also, it has become clear that schizophrenia occurs more often among those with CUD than it does for those without it. Whether or not causal relationships exist between these pairs of conditions remains undetermined, although there’s a growing consensus among researchers that such relationships do exist.
Recently, a team of Italian researchers examined the possible correlation between suicide risk and “exposure to cannabis or one of its main active compounds.” They published their results in the March 2023 issue of Psychiatria Danubina, a European journal. The researchers scoured the literature from January 2010-February 2022, and selected for closer review 12 English language studies including a total of 84,695 individuals. Clinicians had diagnosed all these individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders or non-affective psychotic disorders induced by cannabis or synthetic cannabis use.
They conclude that in general, suicide risk (defined as suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, or deaths due to suicide) does seem to increase among those who suffer schizophrenia spectrum disorders due to cannabis use. However, the researchers state that their emerging data remains “insufficient to draw firm conclusions.” That said, they point to an apparent positive correlation between increased suicide risk and cannabis use among males and among those suffering from first episode psychosis, or FEP. Ultimately, they suggest medical personnel remain especially aware of this increased suicide risk when dealing with men suffering FEPs.
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