The global epidemiology and contribution of cannabis use and dependence to the global burden of disease
Results from the GBD 2010 study
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Cannabis dependence is a disorder primarily experienced by young adults, especially in higher income countries. It has not been shown to increase mortality as opioid and other forms of illicit drug dependence do. Our estimates suggest that cannabis use as a risk factor for schizophrenia is not a major contributor to population-level disease burden.
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To our knowledge this is the first study to estimate global, regional, and country-level prevalence of cannabis dependence, and to estimate its contribution to the global burden of disease. An estimated 13 million people were cannabis dependent in 2010, an age and sex-standardised prevalence of 0.2% (0.17-0.22%). Prevalence was not estimated to have changed significantly from 1990, although increased population size produced an increase in the number of cases of cannabis dependence over the period. Levels of cannabis dependence were significantly higher in a number of high income countries including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, and a number of Western European countries include the United Kingdom. Cannabis dependence caused 2 million DALYs in 2010. DALY rates also varied considerably geographically, with the highest rates again in North America high income, Australasia and Western Europe.
There is clearly scope to reduce the burden associated with cannabis dependence. The estimates presented in this paper are potentially useful for service planning at global, regional and country levels. Although cannabis use was estimated to be a smaller contributor to disease burden than alcohol or opioids, nonetheless some 2 million years lived with disability were attributed to the drug. Behavioural interventions are effective in the treatment of cannabis dependence[53,54], with cognitive behavioural therapy and contingency management showing the greatest promise. Public health campaigns may also be necessary to advise young people of the risks of developing dependence on cannabis because this risk may be underappreciated by many users.
Based on the best available evidence, and models making reasonable assumptions, we found that only 0.04% of the DALYs attributed to schizophrenia were linked to regular (weekly or more frequent) cannabis use. Although epidemiological studies make a consistent case that early and/or heavy cannabis use is linked to a significantly increased risk of schizophrenia[24], the modest increase in risk and the low prevalence of schizophrenia mean that regular cannabis use accounts for only a very small proportion of the disability associated with schizophrenia. From a population health perspective, this raises doubt about the likely impact of preventing cannabis use on the incidence or prevalence of schizophrenia until further evidence finds that there is a causal relationship between regular cannabis use and the onset of new cases of psychotic illness [55].
