According to Canadian researchers affiliated with various health and academic institutions, women are more likely to report substituting or supplementing their use of prescription antidepressants with legal cannabis products post-legalization compared to pre-legalization.

The researchers conducted a study examining reported usage rates both before Canada adopted a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure in 2018 and after the historic legalization measure was approved and implemented. The study’s findings were published in the Substance Use and Addiction Journal.

“Despite the gradual shift in public policy and perception toward cannabis use, there is limited evidence on the co-use of cannabis and antidepressants, and comparative use of these substances across the 3 distinct phases of cannabis legalization. We examined the use of cannabis and/or antidepressant patterns over time, and explored potential sex differences over legalization phases.” the investigators wrote about the focus of their research.

The team of researchers used data ranging from 2013 to 2023 from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Monitor study, finding that “the exclusive use of cannabis increased from 7.2% to 14.9%, and use of both cannabis and antidepressant increased from 1.3% to 5.5% between pre-and post-legalization of cannabis periods.”

They determined that using cannabis instead of prescription antidepressants “was higher among females during the post-legalization period, compared to the pre-legalization period,” but that “in both sexes, the relative risk of using both substances was significantly higher during the post-legalization period.”

“As cannabis becomes legal and commercialized, the likelihood of using it over antidepressants seems to increase, especially among females. The growing trend of using both substances could have significant public health and clinical implications due to the potential for harmful drug interactions.” the researchers concluded.

International researchers estimate that as much as five percent of adults around the globe suffer from depression. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression compared to men, and a diagnosis can happen at any age. If you or someone you know suffers from depression, it is very important to talk to your doctor(s) about it.