Cannabis, psychosis and schizophrenia: unravelling a complex interaction.
Addiction September 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1111/add.13826 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Andréasson Hall Epidemiology Psychosis Public health Schizophrenia |
| Key findings | Cannabis use shows a dose-response relationship with psychosis, and for those with schizophrenia, cannabis exacerbates symptoms. |
Abstract
The relationship between cannabis and psychosis and schizophrenia has tested the field of addiction for decades, and in some ways serves as measure of our ability to provide a credible contribution to public health. As cannabis is used widely, many people are interested in the risks the drug poses to mental health. This paper focuses upon a seminal study examining this, the trajectory of subsequent research findings and what this has meant for understanding and communicating risk factor information. These studies provided evidence of a dose-response relationship between cannabis and psychosis, and that for those individuals with schizophrenia cannabis exacerbated their symptoms. The findings fit with a multi-causal model in which vulnerability interacts with a precipitating agent to produce a disease outcome. Even though this is a common model in epidemiology, it has proved difficult to communicate it in this case. This may be because at a population level the increased risk is weak and the vulnerabilities relatively rare. It may also be because people bring strongly held preconceptions to interpreting a complex multi-causal phenomenon.
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 20
- Cannabis and Psychosis: Are We any Closer to Understanding the Relationship? Current Psychiatry Reports June 4, 2019
- 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
- Cannabis and Psychosis Through the Lens of DSM-5 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health October 28, 2019
- Duration of Untreated Disorder and Cannabis Use: An Observational Study on a Cohort of Young Italian Patients Experiencing Psychotic Experiences and Dissociative Symptoms International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health November 30, 2021
- Repeated Exposure to the “Spice” Cannabinoid JWH-018 Induces Tolerance and Enhances Responsiveness to 5-HT1A Receptor Stimulation in Male Rats Frontiers in Psychiatry February 27, 2018
and 15 more in the library
Cites 7
- Traditional marijuana, high‐potency cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids: increasing risk for psychosis World Psychiatry September 22, 2016
- Cannabis Psychotic Disorder American Journal on Addictions 1994
- Community-initiated research: a study of psychiatrists' conceptualisations of ‘cannabis psychosis’ Psychiatric Bulletin November 1, 1988
- Race, culture and ‘cannabis psychosis’: The role of social factors in the construction of a disease category Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies April 1, 1989
- Cannabis use and psychosis. Drug and Alcohol Review December 1, 1998
and 2 more in the library