Parental alcoholism predicts suicidal behavior in adolescents and young adults with cannabis dependence.
Little is known about the association between cannabis abuse/dependence, comorbid alcohol and substance use, depression, suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior.


OBJECTIVE
To establish the lifetime occurrence of depression, suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior in a group of very heavy cannabis users seeking treatment and to investigate the significance of a range of social, family and contextual factors with special emphasis on alcohol.


METHODS
119 subjects recruited from 19 different substance treatment centers in Denmark.


METHODS
Structured questionnaires and assessment for psychiatric disorders using Schedules of Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Lifetime use and dependence of substances was established using parts of Addiction Severity Index (ASI), parts of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tests (AUDIT).


RESULTS
Lifetime depression (46%), suicidal ideation (42%), and suicidal behavior (23%) were highly frequent. These problems were more common among females and related to adverse childhood experiences and parental alcoholism, while it could not be demonstrated that comorbid alcohol or other drug use increased the risk. Parental alcoholism remained significantly related to depression (p < .009), suicidal ideation (p < .001), and suicidal behavior (p < .03) after adjustment for a range of possible confounders using logistic regression. Physical abuse during childhood was associated with suicidal ideation (p < .01) and reporting an 'all in all bad childhood' was associated with suicidal behavior (p < .03) adjusting for the same control variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Depression, suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior are common phenomena among heavy cannabis users predicted from factors related to childhood and parental alcoholism.
Arendt
Mikkel
M
Centre for Basic Psychiatric Research, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark. mca@psykiatri.aaa.dk
Sher
Leo
L
Fjordback
Lone
L
Brandholdt
Jack
J
Munk-Jorgensen
Povl
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D003718:Denmark; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000150:complications*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires