Association of Marijuana Use With Psychological Distress Among Adults in United States.

This article examines the association between marijuana use and serious psychological distress (SPD) among U.S. adults using data from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The study found that adults who used marijuana recently—within the past month or year—had significantly higher odds of experiencing SPD in the past month compared to those who never used marijuana, even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, social determinants of health, multimorbidity, and the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. The findings highlight a dose-response relationship where more recent marijuana use correlates with greater psychological distress. These results underscore the importance for policymakers and healthcare providers to consider mental health risks in the context of increasing marijuana legalization and use, and suggest the need for further research on causal pathways and targeted mental health interventions.