Cannabis users were twice as likely to commit violence

A review of more than 265,000 people found that cannabis use was associated with higher rates of both committing violence and becoming a victim of it. The researchers say the link is significant but does not prove cannabis itself is the cause. Cannabis users were twice as likely to commit violence, review finds.

Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) combined data from 63 studies involving more than 265,000 people. They analyzed the general population separately from people receiving psychiatric care. What the Review Examined The researchers used the World Health Organization’s broad definition of violence, which includes physical, sexual and psychological violence toward another person, both inside and outside intimate relationships.

They also separated self-reported violence from cases that resulted in criminal convictions. When individual studies measured several forms of violence, the researchers focused on the most serious type reported. The findings were published in Psychological Medicine.