Influence of cannabis use on incidence of psychosis in people at clinical high risk
Lucy Chester, Lucia Valmaggia, Matthew J. Kempton, Edward Chesney, D. Oliver, Emily P. Hedges, Elise Klatsa, Daniel Ståhl, M. van der Gaag, Lieuwe de Haan, Barnaby Nelson, Patrick D. Mcgorry, G. Amminger, Anita Riecher‐rössler, Erich Studerus, Rodrigo A. Bressan, N. Barrantes-Vidal, Marie-Odile Krebs, B. Glenthøj, Merete Nordentoft, Stephan Ruhrmann, G. Sachs, P. McGuire, Philip Mcguire, Maria Calem, S. Tognin, Gemma Modinos, Eva Velthorst, T. Kraan, Daniëlla S. van Dam, Nadine Burger, Christos Pantelis, Athena Politis, J. Goodall, Stefan Borgwardt, Ary Gadelha, Elisa Brietzke, G. Asevedo, E. Asevedo, A. Zugman, Tecelli Domínguez-Martínez, Anna Racioppi, Thomas Kwapil, Manel Monsonet, L. Hinojosa, M. Kazès, C. Daban, J. Bourgin, O. Gay, C. Mam‐Lam‐Fook, M. Krebs, D. Nordholm, L. Randers, K. Krakauer, L. Glenthøj, Dominika Gebhard, Julia Arnhold, J. Klosterkötter, I. Lasser, B. Winklbaur, Philippe Delespaul, Bart P. F. Rutten, Jim van Os
Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences April 18, 2023 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13555 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Prospective cohort study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | People at clinical high risk of psychosis |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Cannabis use is associated with a higher incidence of psychotic disorders and more persistent psychotic symptoms in people at clinical high risk for psychosis. |
Abstract
Evidence for case–control studies suggests that cannabis use is a risk factor for the development of psychosis. However, there have been limited prospective studies and the direction of this association remains controversial. The primary aim of the present study was to examine the association between cannabis use and the incidence of psychotic disorders in people at clinical high risk of psychosis. Secondary aims were to assess associations between cannabis use and the persistence of psychotic symptoms, and with functional outcome.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis People with first episode of psychosis and healthy controls from the local population | 2009 | Case-control study | n = 454 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study Individuals from the general population in Germany aged 14-24 at baseline | 2011 | Observational cohort | n = 1,923 |
| Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: follow-up study of 535 incident cases Patients treated for cannabis-induced psychotic symptoms in Denmark between 1994 and... | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 535 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- High-Concentration Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Cannabis Products and Mental Health Outcomes : A Systematic Review. Annals of Internal Medicine October 1, 2025
- Insight into cannabis use disorder in people with psychotic disorders BJPsych Open August 25, 2026
- THE INFLUENCE OF CANNABIS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA - A REVIEW International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science March 27, 2026
- Psychosis associated with cannabis withdrawal: systematic review and case series The British Journal of Psychiatry December 3, 2024
- Occasional cannabis use is associated with higher premorbid functioning and IQ in youth at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis: Parallel findings to psychosis cohorts Schizophrenia Research July 30, 2024
Cites 10
- High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis The British Journal of Psychiatry November 30, 2009
- Genetic Predisposition vs Individual-Specific Processes in the Association Between Psychotic-like Experiences and Cannabis Use JAMA Psychiatry October 22, 2018
- Factors Moderating the Association between Cannabis Use and Psychosis Risk: A Systematic Review Brain Science February 1, 2020
- The contribution of cannabis use to variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder across Europe (EU-GEI): a multicentre case-control study The Lancet Psychiatry May 1, 2019
- Potency of Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids in cannabis in England in 2016: Implications for public health and pharmacology. Drug Testing and Analysis April 2018
and 5 more in the library