An analysis of 35,000 Canadians shows that rising cannabis use and worsening mental‑health symptoms are increasingly appearing together, with the connection between the two strengthening over time.
The study, led by McMaster University and published in The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry on Feb. 25, 2026, analyzed data from two large, nationally representative Statistics Canada surveys of Canadians aged 15 and older living in the provinces, to examine cannabis use and mental‑health outcomes between 2012 and 2022.
With the legalization of cannabis in Canada landing at the midpoint of the study period, the authors suggest that stronger products, wider availability and increased use for stress relief – may be contributing to the patterns they observed. The study doesn’t prove causation, but it…