Cannabis‐induced Koro in Americans
Addiction November 1, 2001 DOI: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.2001.9611166312.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3 |
| Population | American men aged 22-26 with years of cannabis experience who reported negative reactions to cannabis |
| Intervention | marijuana |
| Topics | Anxiety Cannabis CBD |
| Keywords | Panic Effects of cannabis Clinical psychology Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders |
| Citations | 57 |
| Key findings | Cannabis-induced Koro occurs in Americans, not only in Eastern cultures, and may be influenced by prior knowledge of the condition, novel drug use settings, and body dysmorphia. |
Abstract
Aims: Koro, an acute panic reaction related to the perception of penile retraction, was once considered limited to specific cultures. The disorder has appeared as part of a panic response to cannabis, but only in citizens of India. This study looked for cannabis-induced Koro in Americans.
Design: Given the relative rarity of cannabis-induced Koro, this work focused on individual case studies.
Participants: Over 70 men responded by phone to report negative reactions to cannabis. Three of them (Caucasians aged 22-26 with years of experience with cannabis) spontaneously mentioned experiencing symptoms of Koro after smoking marijuana.
Findings: All three cases occurred after participants had heard about cannabis-induced Koro and used the drug in a novel setting or atypical way. Two of the men had body dysmorphia, which may have contributed to symptoms. All three decreased their cannabis consumption after the Koro experience.
Conclusions: Koro, particularly cannabis-induced Koro, is not limited to Eastern cultures. Several factors may interact to create symptoms. These include previous knowledge of cannabis-induced Koro, the use of marijuana in a way that might heighten a panic reaction, and poor body image. In addition, these cases confirm previous work that shows that negative reactions to drugs can attenuate their use.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Three men experienced cannabis-induced Koro, an acute panic reaction, after smoking marijuana in novel settings or atypical ways.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder after psilocybin consumption: a case study 18-year-old man with HPPD after mixed psilocybin and cannabis intoxication | 2005 | Case study | n = 1 |
| “Hallucinations” Following Acute Cannabis Dosing: A Case Report and Comparison to Other Hallucinogenic Drugs Healthy 30-year-old male | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder: A literature review and three case reports Patients with hallucinogen persisting perception disorder | 2018 | Case series | n = 3 |
| Cannabis Psychosis in Young Psychiatric Inpatients Consecutive psychiatric hospital admissions of patients aged 35 and under | 1986 | Case study | n = 25 |
| Light microscopy can reveal the consumption of a mixture of psychotropic plant and fungal material in suspicious death. Deceased young man who participated in an ayahuasca ceremony | 2015 | Case study | n = 1 |