The following is a summary of “Multi-ancestry genome-wide association study of cannabis use disorder yields insight into disease biology and public health implications,” published in the November 2023 issue of Psychiatry by Levey et al.

As the decriminalization of recreational cannabis gains traction and medicinal usage becomes more prevalent, concerns about the rise in cannabis use disorder (CanUD) have heightened due to its association with various medical comorbidities. Herein, the researchers conducted a comprehensive genome-wide association study of CanUD within the Million Veteran Program (MVP) and performed a subsequent meta-analysis encompassing 1,054,365 individuals, including 64,314 CanUD cases, representing four broad ancestral categories: European (n = 886,025), African (n = 123,208), admixed American (n = 38,289), and East Asian (n = 6,843). 

Population-specific methodologies were applied to compute single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) based on heritability within each ancestral group. Their findings revealed statistically significant SNP-based heritability for CanUD across all traditional categories except for East Asia’s smallest population.

Additionally, a genetically informed causal analysis unveiled a potential link between genetic predisposition for CanUD and lung cancer risk. This observation underscores plausible unforeseen medical and psychiatric public health implications that warrant further investigation to disentangle from established risk factors like cigarette smoking.

This extensive genomic exploration sheds light on the genetic underpinnings of CanUD across diverse ancestral backgrounds, providing insights into disease etiology and offering crucial information for public health considerations. The identification of ancestry-specific genetic loci associated with CanUD emphasizes the need for nuanced approaches to understanding and addressing this disorder across varied populations. Moreover, the observed association between CanUD genetic predisposition and lung cancer risk highlights the necessity for comprehensive research to elucidate potential interplays between genetic susceptibilities and associated health ramifications.

Source: nature.com/articles/s41588-023-01563-z