Are we any closer to identifying a causal relationship between cannabis and psychosis?
Current Opinion in Psychology April 1, 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.07.027 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Significant gaps remain in understanding cannabis psychosis, including limited treatment options and inability to reliably predict risk. |
Abstract
This review provides the reader with an update on developments in research relating to cannabis psychosis. For over four decades researchers and clinicians have focused on the relationship between exposure to cannabis and the emergence of psychotic symptoms. This has proved to be a complicated topic to investigate but research has provided some valuable insights as to the nature of this relationship while also identifying the limits of our understanding. There are significant gaps in understanding of almost every aspect of the journey that people who have cannabis psychosis experience. Not only are treatment options limited, but we still have little evidence to help reliably predict who is at risk of developing cannabis psychosis. This would provide an opportunity to intervene early to reduce the number of people who experience this type of problem, although it is unrealistic to think it would be eliminated completely.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causal association between cannabis and psychosis: examination of the evidence | 2004 | Review | |
| Cannabis sativa: A comprehensive ethnopharmacological review of a medicinal plant with a long history. General (historical and pharmacological review) | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychiatric effects of cannabis | 2001 | Review | |
| Beyond THC: The New Generation of Cannabinoid Designer Drugs | 2011 | Review | |
| Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug | 2006 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Risk-thresholds for the association between frequency of cannabis use and the development of psychosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis Psychological Medicine March 24, 2022
- Psychedelic experience dose-dependently modulated by cannabis: results of a prospective online survey. Psychopharmacology November 4, 2021
- Cannabis Use and Psychosis – Modern Views on the Problem. Narrative Synthesis Medicina 2021
- Changes in psychosis-related emergency department and hospitalization rates among youth following cannabis legalization in Colorado Drug and Alcohol Dependence May 1, 2025
- Associations Between Canada's Cannabis Legalization and Emergency Department Presentations for Transient Cannabis-Induced Psychosis and Schizophrenia Conditions: Ontario and Alberta, 2015–2019 The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry August 1, 2022
Cites 9
- Daily use of high-potency cannabis is associated with more positive symptoms in first-episode psychosis patients: the EU-GEI case–control study Psychological Medicine March 18, 2020
- Should Burden of Disease Estimates Include Cannabis Use as a Risk Factor for Psychosis? PLoS Medicine September 28, 2009
- Cognitive mechanisms in cannabis-related paranoia; Initial testing and model proposal Psychosis May 13, 2020
- Factors Moderating the Association between Cannabis Use and Psychosis Risk: A Systematic Review Brain Science February 1, 2020
- How does cannabidiol (CBD) influence the acute effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in humans? A systematic review. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews September 30, 2019
and 4 more in the library