If you are a parent, teacher or young adult asking whether teen cannabis use is tied to depression and suicide, the newest answer comes from Oregon. On November 5, 2026, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) published updated public health statements that list depression, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among the harms linked to cannabis use in childhood and young adulthood. The same statements also list low school achievement, cannabis dependence as an adult, and poisoning in young children who eat cannabis edibles.
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What did Oregon’s 2026 statements say?
OHA said on Thursday, November 5, 2026, that it published the updated statements to guide clinicians, local public health agencies, legislators and the public on potential harms and benefits of cannabis use. You can read the Oregon Health Authority statements directly. The statements expand and revise guidance that an OHA-convened advisory committee developed in 2015, updated in 2017 after Measure 91. OHA says it captured recent data from hundreds of studies and reports. KTVZ report on the release covers the announcement.
Quick facts, as of November 9, 2026
| Item | What the 2026 statements say |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Oregon Health Authority (OHA) |
| Published | November 5, 2026, as reported by KTVZ |
| Earlier versions | Developed in 2015; updated in 2017 after Measure 91 |
| Depression and suicide | Depression, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts are listed as outcomes linked to childhood and young adult use |
| Psychosis | Increased psychotic symptoms and disorders in adulthood from regular use; psychosis including schizophrenia, especially with long-term use, adolescents and high-THC products |
| School and dependence | Low academic achievement; cannabis dependence as an adult |
| Young children | Child poisoning from edibles |
| Crisis resource (US) | 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline |
Does teen cannabis use cause depression or suicidal thoughts?
OHA groups depression, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among the outcomes linked to cannabis use in childhood and young adulthood. It also lists suicide among its mental health and substance use findings. A 2019 pediatric emergency review in the medical literature names depression as a common presentation in young people seen for cannabis-related emergencies, and calls complications of chronic use, including depression, “now recognized outcomes.”
OHA’s statements say that outcomes described as “linked to” cannabis use do not prove that cannabis caused them.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus cannabis overview adds that people who started using cannabis as teenagers may have trouble with thinking, memory and learning, and that heavy long-term use has been linked to increased risk of mental health problems. For a parent, the practical step is to bring any change in mood, sleep, thinking or safety to a clinician.
Which teens and which products raise concern?
OHA says the risks could vary by how cannabis is taken (smoked, edible or vaporized) and by the THC, CBD and other ingredients in a product. Its list of concerns includes:
- Regular use in childhood or young adulthood, linked to increased psychotic symptoms and disorders in adulthood
- Adolescents and high-THC products, linked to psychosis including schizophrenia, especially with long-term use
- Frequent use and high-THC products, linked to cannabis use disorder
- Frequent use, linked to impairments in memory, attention, decision making and learning up to a month after use
- Edibles and young children, linked to child poisoning
If psychotic symptoms are a concern, the Global MH Summit guide to cannabis induced psychosis explains the research and warning signs.
MedlinePlus notes that cannabis can be addictive, and that you are more likely to become addicted if you use cannabis every day or started using it as a teenager. Withdrawal can bring irritability, trouble sleeping, decreased appetite, anxiety and cravings.
What do recent studies add?
- The 2019 pediatric emergency review notes a growing concern that pediatric emergency department visits related to cannabis are on the rise. It lists accidental ingestions by younger children among the presentations.
- A 2023 study of 171 adolescents, aged 14 to 17 at the start, followed them across five time points about six months apart. Teens who used cannabis for health purposes had higher starting use and faster increases over time, according to the 2023 teen study.
- A 2024 online survey of 350 teens in Washington state (June 2018) and 966 college students (February and March 2019) found that exposure to pro-cannabis social media messages was associated with an increased intention to use cannabis. Anti-cannabis messages were associated with decreased intentions, according to the 2024 social media study.
- A registered trial plans 200 adolescents aged 12 to 18 and is currently recruiting. It aims to look at how acute cannabis use and withdrawal relate to depression and suicide risk, according to its registered ClinicalTrials.gov study.
What are the common mix-ups?
- Medical and recreational cannabis are different. MedlinePlus says federal rules have eased somewhat for medical cannabis and FDA-approved cannabis drugs, while recreational cannabis is still illegal under federal law. OHA’s list of benefits includes pharmaceutical products such as dronabinol for chemotherapy-induced nausea, which are not the same as everyday cannabis use.
- THC and CBD are different. MedlinePlus says THC causes the “high” and CBD does not cause a high. It adds that topical products usually do not cause a high.
- Headlines simplify. Before you act on a headline, check it with reading mental-health research headlines.
Where can a teen or family get help now?
- If someone may be in immediate danger, get emergency help right away.
- The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national resource in the US for a crisis.
- For ongoing depression, suicidal thoughts or psychotic symptoms, a clinician or mental health professional is the right person to ask.
- If a child may have eaten a cannabis edible, contact a poison center or emergency care.
For more on how cannabis connects to mood and anxiety, read cannabis and mental health.
Questions to settle before your next step
- How often is the teen using, and is it daily? MedlinePlus notes that daily use raises the risk of addiction.
- Which product is it, and how is it taken? OHA says risks can differ by product type and ingredients.
- Are there changes in mood, sleep, thinking or safety? Bring them to a clinician or mental health professional.
- Is there a crisis right now? Reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or get emergency help.
By the Global MH Summit Research Team
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.