Adolescent Cannabis Use Linked to Increased Risk of Psychiatric Disorders
Adolescents who use cannabis may face a significantly higher risk of developing serious psychiatric disorders in young adulthood, according to a recent study published in JAMA Health Forum. The research indicates a strong association between adolescent cannabis use and an increased incidence of psychotic, bipolar, depressive, and anxiety disorders.
Study Details and Findings
The longitudinal study followed 463,396 adolescents aged 13 to 17 through age 26. Researchers found that past-year cannabis use during adolescence was associated with a significantly elevated risk of developing psychiatric conditions. Specifically, the risk of psychotic and bipolar disorders was doubled in adolescents who used cannabis compared to those who did not 1.
The study, conducted by researchers from Kaiser Permanente, the Public Health Institute’s Getting it Right from the Start, the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of Southern California, analyzed electronic health record data from routine pediatric visits between 2016 and 2023. Cannabis use preceded psychiatric diagnoses by an average of 1.7 to 2.3 years, strengthening the evidence suggesting a causal link 1.
Researchers noted that even after accounting for pre-existing mental health conditions and other substance use, adolescents who reported cannabis use still exhibited a substantially higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders 1.
Rising Cannabis Potency and Adolescent Use
Cannabis remains the most frequently used illicit drug among U.S. Adolescents. Data from the Monitoring the Future study shows increasing use with grade level, rising from approximately 8% in 8th grade to 26% in 12th grade 2. The 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that over 10% of U.S. Teens aged 12 to 17 have used cannabis in the past year 2.
Concurrently, the potency of cannabis has significantly increased. Average THC levels in California cannabis flower now exceed 20%, a substantial rise from previous decades, with concentrates reaching over 95% THC 2.
Implications and Public Health Response
Lynn Silver, M.D., program director of the Getting it Right from the Start program at the Public Health Institute, and a study co-author, emphasized the need for a public health response that focuses on reducing product potency, prioritizing prevention, limiting youth exposure and marketing, and treating adolescent cannabis use as a serious health issue 3.
The study also revealed that cannabis use was more prevalent among adolescents enrolled in Medicaid and those residing in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, raising concerns that the expansion of cannabis commercialization could worsen existing mental health disparities 1.
Study Information
The study was funded by a grant from NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA0531920) 4. To access the full study, visit JAMA Health Forum.
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