Cannabis use and mental health in young people: cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether cannabis use in adolescence predisposes to higher rates of depression and anxiety in young adulthood.


METHODS
Seven wave cohort study over six years.


METHODS
44 schools in the Australian state of Victoria.


METHODS
A statewide secondary school sample of 1601 students aged 14-15 followed for seven years.


METHODS
Interview measure of depression and anxiety (revised clinical interview schedule) at wave 7.


RESULTS
Some 60% of participants had used cannabis by the age of 20; 7% were daily users at that point. Daily use in young women was associated with an over fivefold increase in the odds of reporting a state of depression and anxiety after adjustment for intercurrent use of other substances (odds ratio 5.6, 95% confidence interval 2.6 to 12). Weekly or more frequent cannabis use in teenagers predicted an approximately twofold increase in risk for later depression and anxiety (1.9, 1.1 to 3.3) after adjustment for potential baseline confounders. In contrast, depression and anxiety in teenagers predicted neither later weekly nor daily cannabis use.


CONCLUSIONS
Frequent cannabis use in teenage girls predicts later depression and anxiety, with daily users carrying the highest risk. Given recent increasing levels of cannabis use, measures to reduce frequent and heavy recreational use seem warranted.
Patton
George C
GC
Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. gpatton@cryptic.rch.unimelb.edu.au
Coffey
Carolyn
C
Carlin
John B
JB
Degenhardt
Louisa
L
Lynskey
Michael
M
Hall
Wayne
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008603:Mental Health; D015995:Prevalence; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology