Introduction
The United States experienced numerous cases of suicide deaths associated with some factors. In 2009, the federal government allowed users and distributors of medical marijuana to distribute the drug to health care centers, leading to an increase in the number of registered distributors. Consequently, recreational users found a new method of obtaining the drug legally. The increased usage of medical marijuana has some implications including suicidal attempts among cannabis users. Melanie Rylander, Carolyn Valdez, and Abraham Nussbaum conducted an investigation to establish the relationship between the legalization of medical marijuana and increased suicide. The team conducted their investigations in the state of Colorado because of it records high suicide rates each year. The study objective was to establish the presence of a correlation between medical marijuana use and completed suicides in Colorado counties (Rylander, Valdez, and Nussbaum, 2014).
Thesis:
Literature review
The legalization of medical marijuana paved the way for recreational drug users to access the drug without much struggle. Despite the effort by the government to control the supply of recreational drugs by controlling supply for confounders, the state continues to record increased cases of suicide attempts linked to cannabis use. Such instances lead to the development of the study to investigate how medical marijuana correlated with completed suicide. According to Rylander, Valdez, and Nussbaum (2014), a previous research done by Rasic and his team revealed no association between cannabis use and suicide among high school students. The research recorded high levels of depression among participants but no complete suicidal attempts. On the other hand, other studies revealed a close relationship between intensive cannabis use and suicidal effects, although the rate depended on the gender of the individual. Moreover, the longitudinal study by Prince and friends conducted on over 50,000 male participants did not find any correlation between cannabis use and suicides. However, these studies were conducted in other states and not Colorado. The research team of Rylander, Valdez, and Nussbaum decided to conduct their study in Colorado because no researchers have ever examined the relationship between medical marijuana use and completed suicide in Colorado. The state of Colorado records high rates of marijuana use; hence, past studies should have used it to establish the real relationship.
Current study
Purpose of the study
Rylander, Valdez, and Nussbaum conducted a study with the objective of establishing the presence of a correlation between medical marijuana use and completed suicides in Colorado counties.
Hypothesis:
H1: There is a correlation between the number of medical marijuana registrants and suicides in Colorado after controlling risk factors such as unemployment. The study, however, revealed previous studies found a positive correlation and blamed some factors on the results achieved.
Participants
Medical marijuana registrants
Medical marijuana dispensaries in different counties
Materials
The study obtained the number of suicides per year from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). The form of suicide was also recorded including mechanisms of suicide death, suicide-related hospitalization, gender of the person, age, and the number of people on the medical marijuana registry. Additionally, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) provided the unemployment statistics and the mean elevation of individual counties.
Method(s)
The Mixed Model Poisson regression was applied using linear modeling techniques. Stratification techniques were employed to analyze the data. The range means, and standard deviations helped in analyzing the data to determine the rate of completed suicides in comparison with marijuana registrants, and unemployment.
Discussion
Results from Rylander, Valdez, and Nussbaum research found no correlation between the number of medical marijuana registrants and suicides. The team realized these results after controlling multiple known risk factors for completed suicide such as unemployment.
Limitations of the study
Many factors influenced the success of the study such as limitations in obtaining correct data on marijuana use in already deceased users. Second, there was a limitation was that the number of marijuana dispensaries could not be a good measure because they are more concerned about access to drugs than how drugs are used.
Recommendations for future researchers
Authors recommended an application of a prospective design that allows better quantification of risks using current legalization and recreational data on the use of marijuana in Colorado.
Conclusion
Major points of the article
The study by Rylander, Valdez, and Nussbaum established many important findings and points. Firstly, the research showed how vendors in Colorado take advantage of the legalized medical marijuana to distribute recreational cannabis leading to more depression and anxieties that cause increasing rates of attempted and completed suicide. Second, the article reveals numerous risk factors that contribute to the high rate of suicide in Colorado among marijuana users. The study found no correlation between medical marijuana use and suicide because researchers had controlled some factors. The high rate of unemployment in the state leads more people into developing depression and anxieties that when combined with marijuana causes suicide attempts. Finally, the study revealed that medical marijuana dispensaries are more concerned about how users access drugs but do not keep a follow-up on how these drugs are used leading to abuse.
Significance of the study
The study findings have a lot of significance to the society, especially in the healthcare industry. The findings revealed no correlation between medical marijuana registrants and suicide. However, the state continues to record an increasing number of suicides. The healthcare sector should use these findings to establish other factors related to complete suicide among medical marijuana users. These findings play a big role in determining medical interventions to reduce cases of suicide among people using medical marijuana caused by other factors such as unemployment.
Application of research findings in the real world
The government should put strict measures to regulate the use of recreational marijuana while legalizing medical marijuana. Users of recreational marijuana experience more attempts that are suicidal because they already have an excuse to use the drug.
Can results be generalized to all population?
The study results do not represent the general population because there is a high positive correlation between drug use and suicide. People using drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, and others have express suicidal behaviors. Researchers blamed negative findings on some limitations; hence, not a representation of all population.
Further research on the topic
Future researchers should focus on the legalization of medical marijuana on encouraging the use of recreational drugs and its impact on complete suicide.
Biblical Perspective
The article plays a big role in enlightening the society about the proper use of medication. Marijuana is a dangerous drug, but it has been scientifically tested to cure specific health conditions. However, experts should look for a better alternative than marijuana because of many negative effects associated with the drug. In the Book of Romans 13:1-2, Apostle Paul asked every person to obey the governing authorities because God establishes them. A God established authority is not questionable. Anyone going to the authorities goes against the will of God. Hence, the society should only use marijuana for the intended purpose and not for recreational purposes to avoid engaging in evil thoughts such as suicide.
Reference
Rylander, M., Valdez, c., and Nussbaum, A. M. (2014). Does the legalization of medical
marijuana increase completed suicide? The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 40(4), 269-273.
