TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Crude estimates of cannabis-attributable mortality and morbidity in Canada-implications for public health focused intervention priorities
JO  - Journal of public health (Oxford)
A1  - Fischer, Benedikt
A1  - Imtiaz, Sameer
A1  - Rudzinski, Katherine
A1  - Rehm, Jürgen
SP  - 183
EP  - 188
VL  - 38
IS  - 1
N2  - BACKGROUND: Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in Canada; while its use is currently controlled by criminal prohibition, debates about potential control reforms are intensifying. There is substantive evidence about cannabis-related risks to health in various key outcome domains; however, little is known about the actual extent of these harms specifically in Canada. <br><br>METHODS: Based on epidemiological data (e.g. prevalence of relevant cannabis use rates and relevant risk behaviors; risk ratios; and annual numbers of morbidity/mortality cases in relevant domains), and applying the methodology of comparative risk assessment, we estimated attributable fractions for cannabis-related morbidity and mortality, specifically for: (i) motor-vehicle accidents (MVAs); (ii) use disorders; (iii) mental health (psychosis) and (iv) lung cancer. <br><br>RESULTS: MVAs and lung cancer are the only domains where cannabis-attributable mortality is estimated to occur. While cannabis use results in morbidity in all domains, MVAs and use disorders by far outweigh the other domains in the number of cases; the popularly debated mental health consequences (e.g., psychosis) translate into relatively small case numbers. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The present crude estimates should guide and help prioritize public health-oriented interventions for the cannabis-related health burden in the population in Canada; formal burden of disease calculations should be conducted.    Keywords: Cannabis impaired driving  <p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1741-3842
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdv005
ID  - ref1
ER  -