Marijuana Legalization Results in Increased Youth Suicides and Youth Psychosis

The March 2021 issue of Clinical Psychiatry News leads with the story “Legalized Cannabis, Report Shows Link to Suicide Among Youth.” The article summarizes a report from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area regarding marijuana use in Colorado, which found that “between 2014 and 2017, the number of suicides positive for marijuana increased 250% among those age 10-19 years, and 22% among those age 20 and older.” Recreational sales of marijuana became legal in Colorado in January 2014. The report quotes Paula Riggs, MD, who provided this information to the annual psychopharmacology update held by the Nevada Psychiatric Association. Dr. Riggs is vice chair of psychiatry at the University of Colorado in Denver, and she is the director of the University of Colorado’s division of addiction science, prevention and treatment. She stated, “Other states are seeing something similar, and there is an emerging research showing a relationship between suicidality and the use of marijuana, especially high potency products that are available in legalized markets.” During the same time period of 2014-2017, the rate of marijuana use among Colorado youth age 12 and older, within the past month from the time surveyed, increased by 45%, which is more than 85% above the national average. Among college age students, use in the past month increased by 18%, to a level that is 60% above the national average. In addition to these increases in rates of use, there has also been an increased use of concentrated preparations, such as dabs and waxes. During the same time period, there has been a 170% increase in Emergency Room visits for marijuana-related illnesses, such as first episode psychosis, and marijuana-related uncontrolled vomiting. These problems have caused a 148% increase in marijuana-related hospitalizations.