Cannabis and Psychosis: a Critical Overview of the Relationship.
Charles Ksir, Carl L. Hart
Current Psychiatry Reports February 1, 2016 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-015-0657-y (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Cognition Mental illness Psychotic disorder Schizophrenia |
| Key findings | Cannabis does not in itself cause a psychosis disorder; early and heavy use are more likely in individuals with a vulnerability to psychosis. |
Abstract
Interest in the relationship between cannabis use and psychosis has increased dramatically in recent years, in part because of concerns related to the growing availability of cannabis and potential risks to health and human functioning. There now exists a plethora of scientific articles addressing this issue, but few provide a clear verdict about the causal nature of the cannabis-psychosis association. Here, we review recent research reports on cannabis and psychosis, giving particular attention to how each report provides evidence relating to two hypotheses: (1) cannabis as a contributing cause and (2) shared vulnerability. Two primary kinds of data are brought to bear on this issue: studies done with schizophrenic patients and studies of first-episode psychosis. Evidence reviewed here suggests that cannabis does not in itself cause a psychosis disorder. Rather, the evidence leads us to conclude that both early use and heavy use of cannabis are more likely in individuals with a vulnerability to psychosis. The role of early and heavy cannabis use as a prodromal sign merits further examination, along with a variety of other problem behaviors (e.g., early or heavy use of cigarettes or alcohol and poor school performance). Future research studies that focus exclusively on the cannabis-psychosis association will therefore be of little value in our quest to better understand psychosis and how and why it occurs.
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 29
- Traditional marijuana, high‐potency cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids: increasing risk for psychosis World Psychiatry September 22, 2016
- 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
- Unraveling the Intoxicating and Therapeutic Effects of Cannabis Ingredients on Psychosis and Cognition Frontiers in Psychology May 14, 2020
- Cannabis and Psychosis Through the Lens of DSM-5 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health October 28, 2019
- Cognitive mechanisms in cannabis-related paranoia; Initial testing and model proposal Psychosis May 13, 2020
and 24 more in the library
Cites 9
- Cannabis Use during Adolescent Development: Susceptibility to Psychiatric Illness Frontiers in Psychiatry 2013
- Cannabis use and first-episode psychosis: relationship with manic and psychotic symptoms, and with age at presentation Psychological Medicine May 24, 2013
- Alcohol confounds relationship between cannabis misuse and psychosis conversion in a high‐risk sample Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica January 9, 2015
- Adolescent Initiation of Cannabis use and Early-Onset Psychosis Substance Abuse October 1, 2015
- Altered cortical maturation in adolescent cannabis users with and without schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research March 2015
and 4 more in the library