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Unistudie Psychosis risks from cannabis use rather low
So far, many doctors have assumed that smoking cannabis results in the increased development of psychosis. Researchers have now found, however, that the likelihood of developing psychosis by consuming cannabis is much lower than previously thought.
Researchers at York University found in their study that smoking cannabis does not significantly increase the likelihood of developing psychosis in most people. The physicians published the results of the study in the journal "Addiction".
Many people occasionally or regularly smoke cannabis. Experts examined whether smoking cannabis increases the likelihood of psychosis. (Image: rgbspace / fotolia.com) Combined use of cannabis with tobacco is a big problem
If people regularly smoke high levels of cannabis, the risk of psychosis can still be increased, according to the researchers. With occasional low consumption, however, it is rare that such symptoms occur. The biggest danger in cannabis is the combined use of the drug with tobacco, explains author Ian Hamilton.
Psychosis from the use of cannabis is extremely rare
The link between cannabis and psychosis has been previously explored by researchers when the drug became popular in the 1960s. Previous British research has found that 23,000 people need to stop smoking cannabis to prevent a case of psychosis, the expert Ian Hamilton is quoted by the British daily newspaper Daily Mail.
In the past, the strength of cannabis was much lower
However, more research is needed to better understand the effects of high-potency cannabis, the researchers emphasize. The studies clearly showed that the stronger the cannabis, the more likely it was that mental health problems would develop, say the experts. Most of the high-profile studies that have been done so far are from a time when the strength of cannabis was even lower.
How do cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol affect consumers??
According to the researchers, high-potency cannabis contains less cannabidiol (CBD), which is thought to protect against negative side effects such as psychosis. While a higher level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the other component of the drug, can trigger the symptoms, the scientists explain.
Studies analyze the power of cannabis
Marijuana has become much stronger over the past 20 years, experts say. An older study analyzed almost 39,000 samples of cannabis seized between 1995 and 2014. During this time, the component that causes the psychedelic effects of marijuana has consistently increased, the physicians add. THC levels in confiscated cannabis increased from 4 percent in 1995 to 12 percent in 2014. This increase in potency poses a greater risk to the use of cannabis, especially among adolescents, the researchers say. The current study also showed for the first time clearly that in patients with schizophrenia by the use of cannabis, the symptoms worsen.
What is a psychosis??
A psychosis is defined as a form of mental illness in which people experience delusions, hallucinations or both at the same time. People with mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder sometimes suffer so much from their illnesses that in the end they commit suicide or seriously harm other people because voices in their minds have ordered them to do so, the experts explain to "Daily Mail".
The sale of cannabis needs to be regulated
The general regulation of cannabis would help to reduce all health risks from consumption, says Ian Hamilton. A regulated cannabis market would introduce quality control and would also provide users with information about the strength of cannabis, the expert points out. Cannabis's super-strong strains are responsible for up to a quarter of new cases of psychotic mental illness, the scientists warn. A strong form of the drug, known as Skunk, is so potent that users experience a psychotic episode three times more frequently than abstainers without consumption, the researchers add. (As)