High Potency Marijuana "Strongly Linked" to Psychosis

It is the latest in a long line of evidence that marijuana is not an innocent relaxation drug. “Smoking high-potency cannabis, used daily, has been linked to diagnosis of conditions like schizophrenia, paranoia and other psychosis disorders, new findings say. About 50 percent of new cases of psychosis disorders diagnosed in Amsterdam were linked to use of high-potency cannabis, according to a study published Tuesday in The Lancet. Additionally, 30 percent of new psychosis cases diagnosed in London were also associated with high strains of the drug. Overall, daily cannabis users were three times more likely to suffer a psychotic episode than those who never used the drug. That risk increased to five times for high-potency users. ‘As the legal status of cannabis changes in many countries and states, and as we consider the medicinal properties of some types of cannabis, it is of vital public health importance to consider the potential adverse effects that are associated with daily cannabis use, especially high potency varieties,’ said Marta Di Forti, researcher at King’s College London.”

​“High potency marijuana,” UPI, Mar. 20, 2019

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