Nir Treves1, Noa Yakirevich-Amir2, Omer Bonne2, Wiessam Abu Ahmad3, Elyad Davidson4, Keenan Keeling5, Branden Hall5, Tyler Dautrich5, Ilan Matok1
1Division of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, The Hebrew University
2Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center
3Hebrew University-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Jerusalem
4Department of Anesthesia, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center
5MoreBetter LTD
Although cannabis products are marketed for mental-related conditions, one of the main concerns of cannabis use is its adverse mental effects. Studies suggest an association between cannabis use and the risk for mental diseases or exacerbation of existing mental conditions. This database study characterizes users who experienced negative mental emotions after cannabis exposure.
Methods: We used a self-report database of the ReleafApp by MoreBetter LTD, which enables users to track real-time cannabis user experience. From a list of 42 possible emotions and symptoms on which the user may report, we focused on a group of negative mental emotions as an outcome that may indicate mental deterioration. Multivariable logistic regression models with mixed effects analyses were performed to study the association between user’s traits, cannabis products, and reporting negative mental emotions.
Results: 144,954 sessions of cannabis consumption were reported by 6,191 users. Females and non-binary gender were associated with an increased risk for negative mental emotions than males (OR=1.16, 95%CI: 1.05-1.28, OR=1.48, 95%CI: 1.26-1.34). Older age was associated with less negative mental emotions than young age (OR=0.88, 95%CI: 0.78-0.99, OR=0.71, 95%CI: 0.62-0.81, in 30-40 and 40-50, respectively compared to the age group of 18-30 years). New users were associated with an increased risk for negative mental emotions compared to experts (OR=1.35, 95%CI: [1.12-1.64]). Oral cannabis products were associated with negative mental emotions compared to flowers. Nevertheless, the experience of negative mental emotions was not associated with a change in the response to the cause for which the cannabis was used. In a cluster analysis, negative mental emotions were more correlated with one other than with other emotions.
Conclusions: Cannabis use in females and non-binary users was associated with negative mental emotions. Oral cannabis products are also associated with negative mental emotions, compared to flowers products. Older age and previous experience with cannabis were associated with fewer negative mental emotions. Further studies should examine the abovementioned traits in the context of cannabis use and mental illness.