@article{ref1,
title="Does cannabis use in adolescence predict self-harm or suicide? Results from a Finnish birth-cohort study",
journal="Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica",
year="2021",
author="Alexander, Denissoff and Niemela, Solja and Scott, James G. and Salom, Caroline and Emily, Hielscher and Miettunen, Jouko and Anni-Emilia, Alakokkare and Mustonen, Antti",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: Longitudinal studies examining the association between adolescent cannabis use and self-harm are rare, heterogenous and mixed in their conclusions. We study this association utilizing a large general population-based sample with prospective data. <br><br>METHODS: The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (n= 6582) with linkage to nationwide register data was used to study the association of self-reported cannabis use at age 15-16 years and self-harm and suicide death until age 33 (until year 2018), based on register information. Cox-regression analysis with Hazard Ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used. Psychiatric disorders, parental psychiatric disorders and other substance use were considered as confounders. <br><br>RESULTS: In all, 6582 (49.2 % male) were included in the analysis, and 377 adolescents (5.7%) reported any cannabis use until the age of 15-16 years. Based on register information, 79 (55.7 % male) had visited in health care services due to self-harm, and 22 (90.1 % male) had died by suicide. In crude analyses, adolescent cannabis use was associated with self-harm (HR =3.93; 95 % CI 2.24-6.90). The association between cannabis use and self-harm remained statistically significant after adjusting for sex, psychiatric disorders at baseline, frequent alcohol intoxications, other illicit drug use, and parental psychiatric disorders (HR 2.06; 95 % CI 1.07-3.95). In contrast, the association of cannabis use with suicide did not reach statistical significance even in crude analysis (HR 2.60; 95 % CI 0.77-8.78) CONCLUSION: Cannabis use in adolescence may increase risk of self-harm independent of psychopathology and other substance use.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0001-690X",
doi="10.1111/acps.13384",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/acps.13384"
}