Study Links Rising Cannabis Use to Poor Mental Health

Key TakeawaysRegular cannabis users may be more likely to experience anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts than non-usersRates of generalized anxiety and major depressive episodes among Canadians have nearly doubled since 2012Younger people show the strongest cannabis-mental health link.THURSDAY, March 5, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For many, cannabis is a go-to for stress relief, but a large Canadian study suggests that for many, that fix may be closely tied to a worsening mental health crisis.Researchers have found that as cannabis use becomes more common and weed more potent, the link between the drug and serious mood disorders is intensifying.The study — led by McMaster University and published in The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry — analyzed data collected from 35,000 Canadians age 15 and older who were surveyed between 2012 to 2022. This timeframe captures the period before and after Canada legalized recreational cannabis in 2018.The research highlights a troubling trend: Cannabis use and mental health struggles are increasingly appearing together. While the study does not definitively prove that one causes the other, the statistical overlap is hard to ignore."We see that Canadians who use cannabis tend to be more likely to meet criteria for anxiety and depressive disorders, and more likely to report suicidality,” said Jillian Halladay, an assistant professor at McMaster’s School of Nursing in Hamilton, Ontario."We also see that this co-occurrence has strengthened over time," she added in a news release.The data reveals a stark shift in the Canadian health landscape over the last decade:Mental health spikes: Reports of generalized anxiety disorder and major depression nearly doubled, affecting 5.2% and 7.6% of the population, respectively.Usage trends: The number of people using cannabis multiple times a week more than doubled.Five-fold risk: By 2022, those using cannabis twice a week or more were five times more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety compared to non-users.The connection was most alarming among younger Canadians. While suicide rates remained relatively stable for older adults, suicidality among youth jumped by 44% during the study period. Experts suspect that the wider availability and increased potency of modern cannabis products may be overwhelming younger, developing brains.Researchers are calling for mental health providers to routinely screen for cannabis use.“It’s important for people to recognize when and how their cannabis use may be impacting their mental health, and how their mental health may be influencing their cannabis use,” Halladay explained.Researchers concluded that “given the strengthened co-occurrence of cannabis use and internalizing problems, greater investment in integrated substance use and mental health prevention, early intervention and treatment is needed.”Researchers noted that their findings should be interpreted with caution due to the nature of the survey data, which captured a snapshot in time rather than long-term follow-up of individuals.More informationThe National Institute on Drug Abuse provides detailed information on cannabis use and its side effects.SOURCES: McMaster University news release, Feb. 26, 2026; The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, Feb. 26, 2026 .What This Means For YouCannabis may mask or worsen mental health issues. To ensure you receive the right kind of support, consider tracking your mood alongside your weed use and discussing both with a health care provider..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Study Links Rising Cannabis Use to Poor Mental Health

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