Association Between Cannabis and Psychosis: Epidemiologic Evidence.
S. H. Gage, M. Hickman, Stanley Zammit
Biological Psychiatry April 1, 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.08.001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Argues that evidence from epidemiologic studies is strong enough to warrant a public health message that cannabis use can increase the risk of psychotic disorders, while noting that causality from observational designs is difficult to establish. The authors contend that further studies are needed to determine the magnitude of the effect, the influence of different cannabis strains, and which groups are at particularly high risk. |
Abstract
Associations between cannabis use and psychotic outcomes are consistently reported, but establishing causality from observational designs can be problematic. We review the evidence from longitudinal studies that have examined this relationship and discuss the epidemiologic evidence for and against interpreting the findings as causal. We also review the evidence identifying groups at particularly high risk of developing psychosis from using cannabis. Overall, evidence from epidemiologic studies provides strong enough evidence to warrant a public health message that cannabis use can increase the risk of psychotic disorders. However, further studies are required to determine the magnitude of this effect, to determine the effect of different strains of cannabis on risk, and to identify high-risk groups particularly susceptible to the effects of cannabis on psychosis. We also discuss complementary epidemiologic methods that can help address these questions.
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 57
- Traditional marijuana, high‐potency cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids: increasing risk for psychosis World Psychiatry September 22, 2016
- Medicinal cannabis for psychiatric disorders: a clinically-focused systematic review BMC Psychiatry January 16, 2020
- The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies Pharmacology & Therapeutics October 20, 2018
- Persisting Reductions in Cannabis, Opioid, and Stimulant Misuse After Naturalistic Psychedelic Use: An Online Survey Frontiers in Psychiatry January 22, 2020
- Cannabis and Psychosis Through the Lens of DSM-5 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health October 28, 2019
and 52 more in the library
Cites 11
- Cannabidiol inhibits THC-elicited paranoid symptoms and hippocampal-dependent memory impairment Journal of Psychopharmacology October 5, 2012
- Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study BMJ March 1, 2011
- Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: follow-up study of 535 incident cases The British Journal of Psychiatry November 30, 2005
- Cannabis Use during Adolescent Development: Susceptibility to Psychiatric Illness Frontiers in Psychiatry 2013
- The association between cannabis abuse and subsequent schizophrenia: a Swedish national co-relative control study. Psychological Medicine January 2015
and 6 more in the library