New findings highlight stronger ties to anxiety and depression
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A large Canadian study found cannabis use is increasingly linked with anxiety and depression.
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The connection appears stronger over time, especially among frequent users.
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Researchers say the findings show a correlation not proof that cannabis causes these conditions.
Cannabis is often talked about as a way to relax or cope with stress but new research suggests the relationship between cannabis and mental health may be more complicated.
A major study out of McMaster University found that people who use cannabis are more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to those who dont use it.
Importantly, researchers stress that this doesnt mean cannabis directly causes these conditions. Instead, the study highlights a growing overlap between cannabis use and mental health challenges something experts say deserves closer attention, especially as cannabis becomes more widely available.
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. We also see that this co-occurrence has strengthened over time, Jillian Halladay, an assistant professor in the School of Nursing at McMaster and youth substance use research lead at the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, said in a news release.
How the study was conducted
To understand the connection, researchers analyzed data from two large, nationally representative surveys of Canadians ages 15 and older. One dataset came from 2012 and included more than 25,000 participants, while the second, from 2022, included nearly 10,000 people.
Participants were asked about how often they used cannabis over the past year, ranging from never to frequent use (multiple times per week). The researchers then compared those responses with measures of mental health, including generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive episodes, and suicidal thoughts.
Using statistical models, the team looked for patterns between cannabis use and these mental health outcomes and whether those patterns changed over time.
What the researchers found
The results showed a consistent pattern: cannabis use was linked with higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidality and that link became stronger over time.
In fact, by 2022, people who used cannabis regularly (two or more times a week) were about five times more likely to report these mental health issues compared to non-users.
The study also found a dose-response relationship, meaning the more frequently someone used cannabis, the stronger the association with mental health challenges.
At the same time, rates of both cannabis use and conditions like anxiety and depression increased over the decade studied.
Researchers caution that the study cannot determine cause and effect. Its possible that people with anxiety or depression are more likely to use cannabis, that cannabis may worsen symptoms over time, or that both are influenced by other factors. Still, the growing connection between the two is something experts say shouldnt be ignored.
Its 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 said. Its also increasingly important for health and mental health providers to assess and address both cannabis use and mental health concerns together.
Posted: 2026-04-06 18:21:28
