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Abstract
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PURPOSE: Given increasing youth suicide rates and liberalization of marijuana-use laws, this study examined post-mortem marijuana toxicology test results among suicide decedents aged 15-19 (youth) compared to those aged 20-29 (young adults).
METHODS: Data were from the 2005-2015 National Violent Death Reporting System (N = 6002 decedents aged 15-19 and N = 20,925 decedents aged 20-29). Following descriptive analysis, logistic regression models were used to test associations of marijuana-positive toxicologies with incident year, state in which injury/death incurred, interactions between incident year and state, and suicide means.
RESULTS: Marijuana was the most commonly substantiated substance among youth and the second most commonly substantiated substance, after alcohol, among young adults. The odds of a marijuana-positive toxicology among youth were 2.21 (95% CI = 1.78-2.73) higher in 2012-2015 than in 2005-2011 and were 1.46 (95% CI = 1.18-1.79) higher in states with marijuana legalization or decriminalization laws; however, the incident year × state interaction term was not significant, and only the main effect of incident year remained significant (AOR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.34-2.59) in the interaction model. Among young adults, the main effects of incident year, state, and interaction effects (AROR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.61-2.53) were all significant. For both age groups, the odds of a marijuana-positive toxicology were lower among decedents who used poisoning than firearms.
CONCLUSIONS: Liberalized marijuana policies do not appear to have influenced increases in marijuana-positive toxicologies among youth, but marijuana-positive rates were higher among those who died in recent years and by more violent/lethal means. Youth suicide prevention strategies should include monitoring marijuana use, education on marijuana's harms, and substance use treatment. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd
Language: en |