July 2020: Association Between the Use of Cannabis and Physical Violence in Youths

Executive Editor Michael Roy speaks with Stéphane Potvin, Ph.D., and Alexandre Dumais, M.D., Ph.D., about their meta-analysis investigating the association between cannabis use and violence, and, more specifically, the perpetration of any type of physical violence by adolescents and young adults.

• How prevalent is the use of cannabis among young people? [2:23]
• What are some of the adverse outcomes that are linked to the use of cannabis, and are these outcomes linked to other difficulties over time? [4:06]
• Why has the literature been mixed as to whether there is a link between the use of cannabis and violent behavior and aggression? [6:11]
• How the authors chose their research objective [8:15]
• Steps of the meta-analysis [9:51]
• Methods used to analyze the data [11:33]
• Main findings [14:12]
• Potential mechanisms that may have a role in the perpetration of violence [16:17]
• Implications for young people who use cannabis [18:07]
• Limitations affecting the results [19:19]
• Does the medical use of marijuana have any bearing on the work? [21:43]
• Takeaways for mental health professionals and the general public [22:31]
• Recommendations for further research [23:55]

Be sure to let your colleagues know about the podcast, and please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen to it.

Subscribe to the podcast here.

Listen to other podcasts produced by the American Psychiatric Association.

Browse articles online.

Follow the journals of APA Publishing on Twitter.

E-mail us at ajp@psych.org