For the past several decades, a correlation between cannabis use and violence has been reported. A contributing factor to cannabis use and violence correlation could be the overlap of cannabis use with other substances. Those who partake in cannabis use are more likely to report polysubstance use. Those ages 18 -34 account for only 23% of the U.S. population yet commit roughly 52% of all violent crimes and have the highest rate of cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD). This study examined whether and how associations of cannabis use, use frequency, and CUD with violent behavior vary by sex in U.S. young adults.
Data comprised 113,454 participants between 18 and 34 in the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). NSDUH asked participants questions such as “During the past 12 months, how many times have you attacked someone with the intent to hurt them seriously?” NSDUH also measured past-year substance use, use frequency, and specific SUD based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Sociodemographic characteristics such as gender, college education level, family income, and race were gathered.
This study agreed with pre-existing literature by suggesting that among young adults, cannabis use and CUD are correlated with a higher prevalence of aggressive behavior. Elevated violent behavior was found among males who engaged in daily cannabis use, especially between the ages of 18 and 23. Overall, this study highlights the need for early screening for and treatment of CUD as a preventive intervention.
Takeaway: Elevated violent behavior was found among males who engaged in daily cannabis use, especially between the ages of 18 and 23.