Toronto, Canada: Women frequently substitute or supplement their use of prescription antidepressants with legal cannabis products, according to data published in the Substance Use & Addiction Journal.
Canadian researchers assessed trends in adults’ use of cannabis and antidepressants prior to and following nationwide cannabis legalization. (Canada legalized retail cannabis sales for those age 18 or older in 2018.)
They reported: “We found that the changes in cannabis use relative to antidepressant use vary significantly between females and males after legalization. The relative risk for exclusive use of cannabis among females was about two times higher than antidepressant use during the post legalization period compared to the pre-legalization period; however, this was not evident among males during the same period. These findings suggest that the increased availability of legal cannabis may be associated with changes in antidepressant use patterns at the population level, particularly among females.”
The study’s authors concluded: “As cannabis becomes legal and commercialized, the likelihood of using it over antidepressants seems to increase, especially among females. The growing trend of using both substances could have significant public health and clinical implications due to the potential for harmful drug interactions.”
The study’s conclusions are consistent with recently published survey data from the United States finding that middle-aged women frequently acknowledge using cannabis products in place of prescription medications to manage their anxiety and/or depression.
Full text of the study, “Cannabis and antidepressant use during periods before and after cannabis legalization in Ontario, Canada: 2013-2023,” appears in the Substance Use & Addiction Journal.