ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to find out whether or not cannabis can be associated with the cause or manner of death in users. During a four year period (1987-1990), 13 417 medico-legal autopsies were made, 26% of which after violent deaths. The autopsies were supplemented with toxicological analyses with regard to presence of alcohol, medicinal and narcotic drugs as well as of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or its compounds as indicated by past history and police records. In 24 deaths, THC and/or cannabinoids were found, as a single drug in 8 cases, and along with alcohol, alcohol and medicinal drugs, and only medicinal drugs in 10, 5, and 1 cases, respectively. These 24 deaths among cannabis users were compared to random samples of deaths during the same period where no THC, but alcohol, amphetamine or opiates, alone or in combination, was found. Of the 24 cannabis-associated deaths, only one was due to a non-violent cause (alcohol-associated liver-cirrhosis). Ten deaths resulted from suicides, 8 from accidents and 5 were homicides. Of the 10 suicides, 4 were committed by jumping from a high place. Two suicides were preceded by the killing of other people. In the alcohol-, amphetamine-, and opiate-associated groups, suicides occurred at 4, 2 and 3 instances, respectively; no one was committed by jumping from a high place or preceded by homicide. Deaths due to accidents or homicide were approximately as frequent in the alcohol and amphetamine abuser groups as in the cannabis group, while the opiate group was dominated by fatal collapse upon intravenous injection of heroin (20 out of a total of 24 cases). All 5 cannabis-associated homicides occurred in connection with non-premeditated impulsive outbursts. In 3 of these, the perpetrator was also a cannabis user.
