US study links cannabis use and depression in adults over 50

A study based on US survey data from 2022 and 2023 indicates that approximately 4.6% of adults aged 50 and older experienced a major depressive episode within a one-year period. The analysis, which included 20,580 non-institutionalized adults, noted correlations between these episodes and substance use, including cannabis consumption, even in cases where no formal disorder was diagnosed.

The research highlights potential gaps in healthcare, as only a portion of those affected receive treatment, and older adults are less likely to perceive care needs as urgent. However, the study notes that because the data is cross-sectional, it cannot definitively establish whether substance use causes depression or vice versa.