Researchers find those who began using cannabis regularly before age 15 were more likely to seek care for depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and physical health problems as young adults
Adolescents who start using cannabis early and often are more likely to need health care for both mental and physical problems as they enter adulthood, according to a new study led by McGill University researchers.
The study found those who began using cannabis before age 15 and continued daily or near-daily were more likely to seek care for depression, anxiety, suicidal distress and physical conditions such as respiratory problems and injuries. By contrast, starting after age 15 was linked only to more physical health problems later.
While the study does not interpret these associations, researchers say there are likely different reasons behind the mental and physical health findings.
“Youth under 15 are in a critical period of brain growth, which may make them more susceptible to cannabis’s effects on mental health,” said Massimiliano Orri, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at McGill, clinician-scientist at the Douglas Research Centre and Canada Research Chair in Suicide Prevention.