People with ADHD are nearly three times more likely to have a cannabis use disorder.
- People with ADHD show difficulty concentrating, impulsivity and agitation for at least 6 months.
- Nearly 6% of school children suffer from ADHD in France.
- A study has just shown that 27% of people suffering from ADHD become addicted to cannabis.
A new study reveals that a significant number of people suffering from attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD) develop a “cannabis use disorder” at one point or another in their lives.
This research, based on a synthesis of the results of seven scientific works, has just been published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.
We can read that the prevalence of cannabis addiction among people with ADHD varied depending on the article from 12% to 49%, which gives an average of 27%. Compared to the general population, people with ADHD are therefore almost three times more likely to suffer from a cannabis use disorder.
Cannabis and ADHD: “great heterogeneity in the existing literature”
“Our meta-analysis demonstrates the great heterogeneity of the existing literature on cannabis use disorders in the context of ADHD,” estimate the researchers. “This degree of heterogeneity is typical of epidemiological meta-analyses dealing with comorbidity. Further research is thus needed to obtain a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between ADHD and cannabis use disorders,” they indicate.
The research detailed in this article also has limitations that need to be considered. For example, most of the studies included in this meta-analysis were conducted in North America. The prevalence of cannabis use disorders may therefore be different in other regions of the world.
ADHD: what is “cannabis use disorder”?
The article titled “The Prevalence of Cannabis Use Disorder in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Clinical Epidemiological Meta-Analysis”, was written by Anna M. Froude, Emily J. Fawcett, Ashlee Coles, Dalainey H. Drakes, Nick Harris, and Jonathan M. Fawcett.
Frequent cannabis use can lead to impaired cognitive performance and mental health problems. We are talking about a “cannabis use disorder” when the person cannot control their consumption despite the negative consequences of this habit.
People with ADHD experience difficulty concentrating, impulsivity and agitation for at least six months. These symptoms have a significant impact on daily life, particularly if they are associated with other disorders (oppositional behavior, anxiety, dyslexia, etc.). Nearly 6% of school children suffer from ADHD in France.
