A study conducted by Inserm scientists on nearly 15,000 students shows that the risk of having impaired sleep increases by 45% when cannabis is consumed, regardless of the frequency.
Smoking cannabis alters the quality of sleep, more specifically among students. In study published on February 8 in the scientific journal Psychiatry ResearchInserm researchers, attached to the CHU and the University of Bordeaux, have demonstrated that the consumption of the most widespread drug in France greatly increases the risk of insomnia.
Based on the observation that 55% of students in France have sleep disorders, and 19% insomnia, Inserm researchers decided to study the potential role played by cannabis in these disturbances. The effects of the substance on our sleep have already been documented.
However, in France, 13.9% of 18-25 year olds say they consume cannabis monthly, and 4% daily, according to the Health Barometer of Public Health France.
Nearly 15,000 students surveyed
Inserm reports in a communicated that the study is based on a cohort of 14,787 university students, who responded to an online questionnaire. Among the questions: their cannabis consumption, the quality of their sleep, “with a specific question on insomnia”.
In order to set aside other potentially disruptive elements of sleep, such as mental health or alcohol, questions on the lifestyle habits of students were added.
“The originality of this study lies in the fact that we had access to a particularly large sample of students who provided precise data on their cannabis consumption and the quality of their sleep”, explains Julien Coelho, first author of the study.
Twice the risk of insomnia
Analyzed and quantified, the responses show a non-negligible effect of cannabis on the sleep of these students. The results “showed that cannabis consumption increased the risk of having disturbed sleep”, details Inserm.
The study itself details that “the likelihood of insomnia was significantly higher by 45% among cannabis users compared to non-users”.
Worse still, the probability of experiencing insomnia is twice as high among daily cannabis users, compared to students who never or rarely use it. A worrying observation, while the lack of sleep can come to alter the cognitive capacities, essential to the students.
Nevertheless, the causality between cannabis and insomnia has not been investigated. For Christophe Tzourio, professor of epidemiology and hospital practitioner, these results nevertheless show “the importance of multiplying public health messages to carry out prevention with students, but also health professionals on the dangers of high consumption. of cannabis on health,” reports Inserm.
Consumption down among young people
On a positive note, cannabis consumption is currently in a downward dynamic. The French Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT) has noted a drop in drug use among young people since 2019.
In 2020, “during the month” cannabis use among teenagers was down six points, to 8.5%. A trend that has been confirmed with the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic has accelerated the downward trend in the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis among young French people,” said Hans Henri P. Kluge, regional director of WHO for Europe.
