Marijuana, Psychedelics, Other Drugs Fuel Suicide Rates Across the U.S.
(WASHINGTON, DC) – As the nation gathers to spread a powerful reminder that nearly 50,000 Americans die by suicide annually, making it 11th leading cause of death, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions (FDPS) President and CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet is using National Suicide Prevention Week to call attention to the harms being inflicted upon young people and those with substance use disorders by the addiction-for-profit industry.
“Drug use and suicide too often go hand in hand. Every day our team hears from parents and families who have been impacted by the loss of a loved-one that connects back to their use of mind-altering drugs. Tragically, an untold story remains how pot-profiteers and drug legalization advocates have driven a narrative the drug use is safe and even ‘recreation,’ when that couldn’t be further from the truth,” said Dr. Sabet, a former White House drug policy advisor to Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton.
“Studies have consistently demonstrated the connection between drug use – especially marijuana and other illicit drugs – and suicide. Whether it’s young people, veterans suffering from PTSD, or those who develop other mental health ailments, drug use is proven to make these conditions worse and, tragically, can lead to suicide. Yet the addiction industry, which only stands to profit from more drug use, continues to downplay these issues or perpetuate junk science that promotes PTSD symptoms as a qualifying condition for ‘medical’ marijuana, MDMA and other mind-altering substances,” Sabet stated.
According to SAM’s 2023 Impact Report, youth marijuana use has been found to pose a significant risk for depression and suicide. In Colorado, where teen suicides have become the cause of one in five adolescent deaths, youth suicide toxicology reports have demonstrated this devastating effect. In 2013, marijuana was present in 10.6% of suicide toxicology reports for young people aged 15 to 19 years; in 2017, marijuana was present in over 30%. One study found that marijuana was the most common substance found in post-mortem toxicology reports of youth suicide decedents. Today’s marijuana is stronger than ever before.
The dangers extend beyond young people. According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health:
- 10.7% of adults who used marijuana in the past year had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year, compared to 5.5% of adults who used alcohol in the past year and 5.0% of adults in nationally;
- 3.2% of adult marijuana users made a suicide plan in the past year, compared to 1.6% among alcohol users and 1.4% of the national adult population;
- 1.4% of adult marijuana users actually attempted suicide, compared to 0.6% of adults who used alcohol, and 0.6% of the national adult population; and
- Adult marijuana users are more than 2x as likely to have serious thoughts of suicide, make any suicide plans, and attempt suicide compared to the national population.
“Normalizing and commercializing dangerous drugs is having devastating consequences. Families across the nation are living with the real-world effects of these shifting perceptions, and it’s heartbreaking. Policymakers should be doing everything in their power to reverse this trend and push back against those seeking to profit of this devastation and heartbreak,” Sabet stated.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, an estimated 1.6 million Americans attempted suicide