Marijuana Smoking May Lead To Psychosis

December 22nd, 2009 · 1 Comment

dried marijuana Researchers from Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health and Georgia State University have stated that daily marijuana use in adolescence may hasten symptoms of psychosis. The study was published in the November issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.

The researchers analyzed data from 109 hospitalized patients who were experiencing their first psychotic episode. The results showed that patients who had a history of using marijuana, or cannabis, and increased to daily pot smoking experienced both psychotic and pre-psychotic symptoms at earlier ages.

“We were surprised that it wasn’t just whether or not they used cannabis in adolescence that predicted the age of onset, rather it was how quickly they progressed to becoming a daily cannabis user that was the stronger predictor,” said Michael Compton, lead author and assistant professor of psychiatry in the Emory School of Medicine.

The study also found a gender difference: The female subjects who progressed to daily pot smoking had a greater increased risk for the onset of psychosis than the males.

Marijuana is the most abused illicit substance among people with schizophrenia, the most extreme form of psychosis, and previous research has shown that smoking pot is likely a risk factor for the disease.

More info: http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/166/11/1251

Studies done in Australia show similar outcomes:
cannabis-use-and-psychotic-illness

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