Overview
- The peer-reviewed GWAS analyzed genetic data from 131,895 23andMe participants, with 73,374 also reporting frequency during their heaviest use period.
- Lifetime cannabis use was associated with loci near CADM2 and GRM3, and CADM2 was additionally linked to how often people used the drug.
- Secondary analyses identified 40 more genes for lifetime use and four for frequency, including 29 not previously tied to cannabis-related traits.
- Polygenic scores derived from the study predicted daily or problematic use in NIH All of Us participants, with genetic correlations spanning 100+ psychiatric, cognitive, and physical health traits and additional signals observed in Vanderbilt’s biobank.
- Authors emphasize these associations as a foundation for prevention and treatment research, noting limits such as self-reported data and ancestry representation, and that no FDA-approved medications currently exist for cannabis use disorder.