Which Cannabis Users Develop Psychosis?
Edoardo Spinazzola, Marta Di Forti, Robin Murray
Cambridge University Press eBooks May 12, 2023 DOI: 10.1017/9781108943246.016 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Argues that cannabis likely contributes to psychosis only in predisposed individuals, with young age at first use and frequent use of high-potency cannabis as the most important risk factors. Contends that the association with schizophrenia is unlikely to be explained by genetic predisposition alone and is more likely the result of Gene x Environment interplay. |
Abstract
The fact that not all cannabis users will develop psychosis suggests that cannabis may exert its causal role only in pre-disposed individuals. However, since the number of people who use cannabis worldwide is so high, those who will eventually develop psychosis, whilst still a minority, represent a large number. The evidence indicates that different patterns of cannabis use have a different impact on the risk of developing psychosis, with young age at first use, and a higher frequency of use of high-potency types of cannabis indicated as the most important risk factors. Nonetheless, given the complex nature of the association between cannabis use and psychosis, it is hard to determine which cannabis users will eventually develop psychosis. The link between cannabis use and schizophrenia is unlikely to be just the result of a genetic predisposition, it is more likely the result of Gene x Environment inter-play.
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 |