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New research sheds critical light on the connection between frequent cannabis use and the risk of developing psychosis. Conducted by King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, the study reveals that cannabis use independently raises the likelihood of psychosis, irrespective of one’s genetic predisposition to schizophrenia. This poses significant concerns, particularly in the face of rising cannabis use and the increased potency of products available today.
Frequent Use and High Potency Carry the Greatest Risks
The study examined the impact of lifetime frequent cannabis use and found a clear link to psychosis. This risk was particularly high among those who reported daily use of high-potency cannabis, defined as products containing 10% or more of THC (Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is the psychoactive compound predominantly responsible for the drug’s intoxicating effects.
Though the study investigated genetic predisposition to schizophrenia using polygenic risk scores (PRSs), it demonstrated that the risk from frequent cannabis use operates independently. Simply put, the environmental danger from using cannabis is significant enough to raise the likelihood of psychosis on its own.
Genetic and Environmental Risks Act Separately
Researchers emphasised an important finding — genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia and cannabis use do not appear to interact, but rather influence the risk of psychosis through separate mechanisms. This means someone with no genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may still develop psychosis through frequent or high-potency cannabis use. While there may be an additive effect for those with both genetic risk and a history of heavy use, the study highlights that cannabis alone is a considerable factor. (Source: WRD News)
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K2, Spice, and other similar terms refer to synthetic designer drugs that mimic the effects of THC, the main psychoactive compound found in cannabis. These substances, however, are far from natural. Synthetic cannabinoids are lab-created chemicals sprayed onto plant material, often marketed as “herbal incense” or “potpourri” and labelled “not for human consumption” to dodge legal scrutiny. Despite these warnings, they are widely abused for their psychoactive properties.
These substances are often deceptively packaged with alluring designs and sold in convenience stores, petrol stations, and online. The origins of these products are usually unknown, with the chemicals they contain being produced in unregulated laboratories, primarily in Asia, without any quality control or safety standards. For complete article The Dangers of K2/Spice - WRD News (also see DEA on K2)
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Abstract
Background: The association between cannabis and psychosis is established, but the role of underlying genetics is unclear. We used data from the EU-GEI case-control study and UK Biobank to examine the independent and combined effect of heavy cannabis use and schizophrenia polygenic risk score (PRS) on risk for psychosis.
Methods: Genome-wide association study summary statistics from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and the Genomic Psychiatry Cohort were used to calculate schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder (CUD) PRS for 1098 participants from the EU-GEI study and 143600 from the UK Biobank. Both datasets had information on cannabis use.
Results: In both samples, schizophrenia PRS and cannabis use independently increased risk of psychosis. Schizophrenia PRS was not associated with patterns of cannabis use in the EU-GEI cases or controls or UK Biobank cases. It was associated with lifetime and daily cannabis use among UK Biobank participants without psychosis, but the effect was substantially reduced when CUD PRS was included in the model. In the EU-GEI sample, regular users of high-potency cannabis had the highest odds of being a case independently of schizophrenia PRS (OR daily use high-potency cannabis adjusted for PRS = 5.09, 95% CI 3.08–8.43, p = 3.21 × 10−10). We found no evidence of interaction between schizophrenia PRS and patterns of cannabis use.
Conclusions: Regular use of high-potency cannabis remains a strong predictor of psychotic disorder independently of schizophrenia PRS, which does not seem to be associated with heavy cannabis use. These are important findings at a time of increasing use and potency of cannabis worldwide. (Source: Psychological Medicine December 2024, Cambridge University Press)
Also see
- Transition to Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder Following Emergency Department Visits Due to Substance Use With and Without Psychosis – Cannabis Tops the List
- Teen Cannabis Use and Psychosis Risk is now 11 Fold
- Mulling up Cannabis and psychosis – Lancet Warning on Cannabis and Psychosis
- Cannabis and Psychosis Through the Lens of DSM-5
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The Vote 4 Medicine Debacle is a ‘gift’ that just keeps on giving!
The use of cannabinoids in medical treatments for children and adolescents is rising, often to manage conditions like epilepsy or chemotherapy-induced nausea. While this approach may seem promising, comprehensive research sheds light on the serious risks associated with these substances for young individuals.
Increased Risk of Adverse Events: A detailed review of 23 clinical trials involving over 3,600 children and adolescents revealed significant risks linked to cannabinoid use. Compared to other treatments or placebos, these substances were associated with a higher likelihood of unpleasant side effects. Many participants experienced such severe adverse events that they withdrew from the studies altogether.
For developing bodies, these risks are especially troubling. Symptoms like diarrhoea, extreme drowsiness, and signs of liver stress or damage were frequently reported, raising serious concerns about the impact on children’s health.
Concerns in Key Treatment Areas: Cannabinoids are often used as treatments for epilepsy and to manage chemotherapy-related nausea in children. However, the findings from the review call into question whether the potential benefits justify the heightened risks. Both conditions require effective relief, but exposing young, developing bodies to substances with such serious side effects demands caution and careful consideration.
Long-Term Risks and Unanswered Questions: One of the major concerns highlighted by this research is the lack of information on the long-term effects of cannabinoids in younger individuals. Most trials only tracked participants for short periods, meaning the potential for chronic health impacts, dependency, or other developmental issues remains largely unknown.
(For complete research J.A.M.A)
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The impact of cannabis on human fertility has emerged as a critical public health concern, particularly as global cannabis consumption has surged by 23% since 2010. With 209 million users worldwide and growing, most being males of reproductive age, understanding cannabis’s effects on fertility has never been more urgent. This increase coincides with a troubling trend – global sperm counts declined by 51.6% from 1973 to 2018, and continue to fall at an accelerating rate.
The convergence of rising cannabis use and declining sperm counts has spurred renewed scientific interest in how cannabis, particularly its primary psychoactive compound THC, affects male fertility. Two landmark studies – Morishima’s groundbreaking 1984 research and Kuzma-Hunt’s comprehensive 2024 analysis – provide crucial insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms through which cannabis influences reproductive outcomes.
(Source: https://wrdnews.org/cannabis-male-fertility-epigenetic-harms-a-four-decade-research-evolution/)