ArticleHealth promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice2023
An interrupted time series evaluation of the effect of cannabis legalization on intentional self-harm in two Canadian provinces: Ontario and Alberta.
Article in Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Longitudinal, population-based analysis of burn injuries across Canada pre-recreational and post-recreational cannabis legalisation.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- Understanding the role of cannabis in patients with suicidal ideation presenting to the emergency department: systematic chart review.BJPsych open · 2025Article
- Exploring the impact of drug decriminalization and legalization policies on mental health outcomes: A scoping review.PLOS mental health · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionDespite the association between cannabis use and higher prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt, the effect of cannabis legalization and regulation in Canada on intentional self-harm has not been determined.
methodsWe used an interrupted time series of population-based rates of emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations for intentional self-harm per 100 000 in Ontario and Alberta from January/April 2010 to February 2020. Aggregate monthly counts of ED visits and hospitalizations for intentional self-harm (ICD-10 codes X60-X84, R45.8) were obtained from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System and Discharge Abstract Database, respectively.
resultsThe legalization and regulation of cannabis in Canada was not significantly associated with a change in rates of ED visits for intentional self-harm in Ontario (level = 0.58, 95% CI: -1.14 to 2.31; trend = -0.17, 95% CI: -0.35 to 0.01) or Alberta (level = -0.06, 95% CI: -2.25 to 2.12; trend = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.27 to 0.13). Hospitalizations for intentional self-harm also remained unchanged in Ontario (level = -0.14, 95% CI: -0.48 to 0.20; trend = 0.01, 95% CI: -0.03 to 0.04) and Alberta (level = -0.41, 95% CI: -1.03 to 0.21; trend = -0.03, 95% CI: -0.08 to 0.03).
conclusionLegalization and regulation of cannabis in Canada has not increased rates of ED visits or hospitalizations for intentional self-harm in Ontario and Alberta. Individual-level analyses that account for demographic characteristics and include other provinces and territories are needed.
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