The use of cannabis (marijuana) in Canada has been increasing through the years. A large Canadian research study recently confirmed a relationship between cannabis use and anxiety disorder.
The study examined the records of over 12 million Ontarians aged 10 to 105 years who were never diagnosed or treated for anxiety in the Emergency Department (ED). Close to 35 thousand of them visited the ED for an issue related to cannabis use. Within 3 years, the patients with cannabis use had a 3.7 times higher risk of getting diagnosed with a new anxiety disorder compared to the general public. A slightly higher risk was found when the researchers excluded individuals who had any previous medical care for anxiety disorders.
The increase in the risk of being diagnosed with a new anxiety disorder happened across all age groups and sex. However, the risk was most significant in younger males.
Our Clinic team continues to advise our patients not to smoke weed because of potential risks in terms of learning difficulties, anxiety, schizophrenia, and heart conditions. If you have any concerns, please make an appointment to discuss them with one of our doctors or your family physician.
Reference Development of an anxiety disorder following an emergency department visit due to cannabis use: a population-based cohort study Myran DT, Harrison LD, Pugliese M, Tanuseputro P, Gaudreault A, Fiedorowicz JG, Solmi M. EClinicalMedicine. 2024; Feb 5
Further reading CBC - More than a bad trip: Experts warn about the risk of cannabis-induced psychosis