February 13, 2019

cannabis use in young people – depression and anxiety

Cannabis is the most commonly used recreational drug by teenagers worldwide and while there has been a lot of focus on the role of cannabis use in psychosis, there has been less attention on whether cannabis use is associated with increased risk of other conditions, such as mood disorders like depression and anxiety. Researchers have therefore carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 previous studies comprising over 23,000 individuals to see whether use of cannabis in young people is associated with depression, anxiety and suicidality in early adulthood. Journalists were invited to the SMC to hear two of the authors discuss their findings.

Speakers:

Prof Andrea Cipriani, NIHR Research Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at the NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford

Dr Gabriella Gobbi, Professor, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center and Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada