High Risk or Risky Highs: Understanding the Links Between Alcohol and Cannabis Use on the Transition From Suicidal Ideation to Attempts in Australian Men.
Andre MasonBenjamin C RiordanKirsten MorleyTaylor WinterPaul HaberDamian ScarfPublished in: Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research (2023)
Alcohol and cannabis use are consistently associated with greater risk of suicide, particularly among men and in higher-income countries (e.g., Australia). Adult data ( n = 7,464) from waves 1 and 2 of Ten to Men: The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health were used to explore whether alcohol and/or cannabis use increased the longitudinal risk of a suicide attempt among suicidal ideators. Cannabis use was associated with increased risk of transitioning from suicidal ideation to making a suicide attempt; no association was found for alcohol. Broadly, these findings indicate that greater cannabis but not alcohol use may increase risk of transitioning to making a suicide attempt among those who are thinking about suicide.