Controversies on the Repercussions of Cannabis Use on Mental Health: Critical Clarifications
José Manuel Bertolín Guillén
American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience 2019 DOI: 10.11648/j.ajpn.20190704.20 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | The authors argue that the available evidence supports a relationship between cannabis use and psychoses and other mental disorders, and that claims of bias or confounding in studies reporting cannabis harms are speculative. They contend that mental health professionals should not be neutral or ambiguous about cannabis use and its health risks. |
Abstract
Background. It is scientifically undeniable that there is a relationship between cannabis use, psychoses of different types and other mental disorders. Frequent use of cannabis as well as high potency synthetic cannabis has special clinical significance for public health. Method. A review of the best and most current specialized literature published in order to clarify possible controversies that still persist. The aim is to resolve certain doubts so that scientifically supported criteria on the risks and dangers of cannabis use for mental health can be issued without any prejudices. Result. Cannabis is the most used illegal drug in the US and worldwide over the past year. Some authors hypothesize about interaction bias and confounding that could annul the internal validity of many studies reporting on the dangers of cannabis for mental health. They also emphasize that cannabis use should not be criminalized. This is, however, a merely speculative or unrealistic hope that disregards the wealth of scientific data that reject the authors’ aspiration according to the available evidence consulted. Conclusion. The most qualified scientific journals, in line with the main professional institutions, have been rigorously and accurately informing their readers ˗and must continue doing it˗ of the dangers and harm caused by substance use, including cannabis. In short, the issue is to try to decrease the incidence of the related mental disorders which are sufficiently acknowledged. Mental health professionals cannot and must not be neutral or ambiguous regarding cannabis use, its collective spreading and the health risks that it entails.
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 |