High Risk or Risky Highs: Understanding the Links Between Alcohol and Cannabis Use on the Transition From Suicidal Ideation to Attempts in Australian Men

Abstract

Alcohol and cannabis use are consistently associated with greater risk of suicide, particularly among men and in higher-income countries (e.g., Australia). Adult data (n = 7,464) from waves 1 and 2 of Ten to Men: The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health were used to explore whether alcohol and/or cannabis use increased the longitudinal risk of a suicide attempt among suicidal ideators. Cannabis use was associated with increased risk of transitioning from suicidal ideation to making a suicide attempt; no association was found for alcohol. Broadly, these findings indicate that greater cannabis but not alcohol use may increase risk of transitioning to making a suicide attempt among those who are thinking about suicide.

Keywords:

• Alcohol use
• Australian men
• cannabis use
• suicide

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The research on which this paper is based was conducted as part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (Ten to Men). We are grateful to the Australian Government Department of Health for funding and to the boys and men who provided the survey data. Ten to Men is managed by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. Ten to Men research data is the intellectual property of the Commonwealth.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

DS and BR conceived the initial idea for the manuscript. AM, BR, TW conducted the analyses. AM wrote the initial draft and BR, DS, TW, PH, and KM all reviewed and edited the manuscript.

DISCLOUSRE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (Ten to Men) was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health.

Notes on contributors

Andre Mason

Andre Mason, B.Sc (Hons), Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Benjamin C. Riordan

Benjamin C. Riordan, PhD, Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Kirsten Morley

Kirsten Morley, PhD, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.

Taylor Winter

Taylor Winter, MSc, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand.

Paul Haber

Paul Haber, PhD, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia and

Damian Scarf

Damian Scarf, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.