JAMA Health Forum
Teen cannabis use linked to higher psychiatric risk
In a large cohort study from Kaiser Permanente Northern California involving 463,396 adolescents aged 13 to 17, universal confidential screening revealed that past‑year cannabis use was associated with significantly increased risk of incident psychotic (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 2.19), bipolar (AHR, 2.01), depressive (AHR, 1.34), and anxiety disorders (AHR, 1.24) through young adulthood. These associations persisted, though modestly attenuated, even after adjusting for prior psychiatric conditions.
Clinical takeaway: Clinicians should screen routinely for adolescent cannabis use and counsel families that even intermittent past-year use may elevate long-term psychiatric risk.
Source:
Young-Wolff KC, et al. (2026, February 20). JAMA Health Forum. Adolescent Cannabis Use and Risk of Psychotic, Bipolar, Depressive, and Anxiety Disorders. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2845356