Road toll death rates higher in cannabis users
The real dangers of cannabis have been exposed in an Australian-first study that shows car accidents are the leading cause of death in people high on the addictive drug.
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Car accidents are a leading cause of death in people high on cannabis, with men most at risk, a new study has found.
The dangers of the addictive drug have been revealed in an Australian-first National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre study examining 559 cannabis-related deaths between 2000 and 2018.
Accidental injuries accounted for 30 per cent of deaths, with three in four due to car accidents.
Lead author Emma Zahra said: “One in five motor vehicle accident deaths were pedestrians, highlighting that acute cannabis and polysubstance intoxication can affect information processing and perception of risk.”
The second leading cause of death was suicide (25 per cent), while polysubstance toxicity (17 per cent) ranked third.
Males accounted for more than 80 per cent of deaths, with most aged 30 to 39.
Ms Zahra said the study found men were three times more likely to die due to accidental injury compared to women.
Alcohol was the most common substance (45 per cent) identified in polysubstance deaths.
Suicide was the leading cause of death in cannabis-only cases.
Ms Zahra said it accounted for one in four of all cannabis deaths and that users must be careful.
“Those treating people with cannabis dependence should be aware of this elevated risk, and regular screening for suicidal ideation would appear appropriate, ” she said.
As for disease-related deaths, cardiovascular conditions were the most common (14 per cent), followed by respiratory conditions (10 per cent).
Ms Zahra said it was crucial people with these conditions understood the risks posed by the drug.
“Past research has shown regular use of cannabis can lead to chronic bronchitis, and heavy consumption has been associated with serious cardiovascular complications like acute coronary syndrome, vasospasm and arrhythmias,” she said.
The research was carried out because cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance in the world and no national-level study of cannabis-related deaths had ever been undertaken in Australia.
Researchers carried out the study with a retrospective case review of files through the National Coronial Information System. It found cannabis-related death rates were stable over the study’s 18-year period.
The study concluded: “Low all-cause crude mortality rates remained relatively stable over the study period. No deaths were due to direct cannabis toxicity, but death due to accidental injury was prominent.”
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