Further Course of Mental Health and Use of Alcohol and Tranquilizers After Cessation or Persistence of Cannabis Use in Young Adulthood: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

The main question addressed in this study is how cessation or persistence of cannabis use is related to use of legal drugs and mental health problems.

In a longitudinal study a representative sample of young people in Norway, age 17–20 years (n = 1997), participated in a postal survey in 1985 and was followed up again in 1987 and 1989. The results showed a decrease in alcohol consumption among men both among those who ceased to use cannabis and those who continued their use, whereas among women who continued cannabis use the alcohol consumption increased. The use of tranquilizers was significantly reduced among those who ceased to use cannabis compared with those who continued cannabis use, while mental health problems were unchanged. The results indicate that use of tranquilizers for self medication is mainly related to a polydrug use in the cannabis using culture.

Keywords

Cannabis alcohol tranquilizers mental health self-medication young adulthood

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