Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

4-27-2020

Abstract

Purpose: As the country struggles to address an epidemic of alcohol and E-cigarette, a wide-ranging category of natural substance “marijuana” have provoked a new sense of public urgency over the past decade. Notwithstanding the federal ban, selling and use of non-medical marijuana continues to escalate due to state legalization process. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to determine the relationship between marijuana use and depression.

Methods: The 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (CDC) data was used to test the association between marijuana use and depression. This nationally representative weighted sample included N=62,769 adults ages 14 years or older. Traditional descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted; the regression model was adjusted for various demographic factors and related comorbidities.

Results: 9489 individuals with an average age of 38.44 (SD= 38.44) years have consumed marijuana. Significant associations were found between demographic characteristics and depression. The adjusted logistic regression models with various covariates shows that people who use marijuana are at significantly higher risk for depression ( χ2 (29) =429.78, p <.001).

Conclusion: Result indicates that those who consume marijuana are more likely to have depression than those who do not. Aggressive non-medical use of marijuana may exacerbate cognitive and olfactory disturbance. In contrast, HIV patients who use marijuana seems to have less depressive symptoms compare to the patients who are not using marijuana. As policies shifting towards legalization, it’s wise to assume that marijuana use will increase. Therefore, careful consideration and proper education are essential to ensure safety.

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