Cannabis with high cannabidiol content is associated with fewer psychotic experiences.
Christian D Schubart, Iris E C Sommer, Willemijn A Van Gastel, Rogier L Goetgebuer, René S. Kahn, Marco P Boks
Schizophrenia Research August 2011 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2011.04.017 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,877 |
| Population | Non-clinical population of cannabis users in the Netherlands who used the same type of cannabis on more than 60% of occasions |
| Measures | Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) |
| Topics | Cannabis CBD |
| Key findings | Cannabidiol content in cannabis was significantly inversely associated with self-reported positive psychotic symptoms, but not with negative symptoms or depression. The authors report the effect size was small and conclude the subtle findings offer further support for cannabidiol's antipsychotic potential. |
Abstract
Cannabis is associated with psychotic outcomes in numerous studies, an effect that is commonly attributed to Δ (9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 9-THC). An increasing number of authors identify cannabidiol, another component of the cannabis plant, as an antipsychotic agent. The objective of the current study is to investigate the role of cannabidiol content in the association between cannabis use and psychiatric symptoms in a large non-clinical population of cannabis users. In a web-based cross-sectional study we obtained detailed information about cannabis use and subclinical psychiatric experiences using the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE). Different types of cannabis (i.e. marijuana, hashish etc.) have distinctive proportions of Δ 9-THC and cannabidiol. Since average concentrations of Δ 9-THC and cannabidiol in the most popular types of cannabis sold on the Dutch market are annually measured, we were able to estimate exposure to Δ 9-THC and cannabidiol. We included 1877 subjects (mean age 23, SD 6.0) who used the same type of cannabis in the majority of the occasions (in >60% of occasions). We found a significant inverse relationship (F(1,1877): 14.577, p<0.001) between cannabidiol content and self-reported positive symptoms, but not with negative symptoms or depression. The estimated effect size of cannabidiol content was small. Although the observed effects are subtle, using high cannabidiol content cannabis was associated with significantly lower degrees of psychotic symptoms providing further support for the antipsychotic potential of cannabidiol.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on CBD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 36
- Cannabidiol inhibits THC-elicited paranoid symptoms and hippocampal-dependent memory impairment Journal of Psychopharmacology October 5, 2012
- Traditional marijuana, high‐potency cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids: increasing risk for psychosis World Psychiatry September 22, 2016
- “Spiceophrenia”: a systematic overview of “Spice”‐related psychopathological issues and a case report Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental July 1, 2013
- Cannabidiol (CBD) content in vaporized cannabis does not prevent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-induced impairment of driving and cognition Psychopharmacology May 1, 2019
- Daily use of high-potency cannabis is associated with more positive symptoms in first-episode psychosis patients: the EU-GEI case–control study Psychological Medicine March 18, 2020
and 31 more in the library
Cites 11
- Causal association between cannabis and psychosis: examination of the evidence The British Journal of Psychiatry January 30, 2004
- High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis The British Journal of Psychiatry November 30, 2009
- Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research April 1, 2006
- Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study BMJ March 1, 2011
- Modulation of effective connectivity during emotional processing by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology September 24, 2009
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