While cannabis is often seen as a harmless way to relax, evidence shows a potential link between the use of THC products, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, and serious health issues like chronic psychotic disorders, particularly among young men.  

Studies have shown that emergency room visits for cannabis-induced psychosis in Ontario have increased by 220% between 2014 and 2021. For young men aged 14 to 24, the risk of developing schizophrenia increases to over 40% within three years after showing up in an emergency room for cannabis-induced psychosis. 

We discussed the reality of cannabis-induced psychosis on a recent episode of our podcast Look Again with Dr. André McDonald, an epidemiologist and lead author of a groundbreaking recent study called ‘Age-Dependent Association of Cannabis Use with Risk of Psychotic Disorder’.

The main finding of this study was that teens who use cannabis were 11 times more likely to develop a psychotic disorder versus those who didn’t. Specific to hospitalizations and ED visits, teens who used cannabis had a 27 times higher risk compared to those who didn’t use cannabis. 

Dr. McDonald gave several potential reasons for this increase in addition to the use of more recent cannabis use data. For one, cannabis has increased in potency dramatically over the last few decades. In the 80s, flower cannabis had about a 3% THC potency. Today, flower products can be over 20%, and concentrates can get up into the 90% range.  

“It’s fundamentally different products that we have today compared to a couple of decades ago. I think a lot of people aren’t aware of this. [People] who were growing up with cannabis where it was relatively low THC might not see it as a dangerous product, but their kids today are using a different product.”

Dr. McDonald 

The study also separated out the association for teens (i.e. those aged 12 to 20) from that for those in young adulthood (20 and over). While there was a strong association between cannabis use and psychotic disorders for teens, researchers did not find a significant association between cannabis use and psychotic disorders in young adulthood.  

Previous research in neurodevelopment suggests that teens’ brains are developing at a very fast pace, leaving them more vulnerable to change. This is why THC can affect teens much stronger than if they were young adults and the brain had reached maturity. We have previously discussed the risks of youth cannabis consumption in more detail in our “Cannabis and Mental Illness” press release and video

“There’s a really strong association between cannabis use and psychotic disorders in the teenage years. So if they can wait until they’re older, protect your brain. That would be my recommendation.”

Dr. McDonald 

Dr. McDonald wants to note that psychotic disorders are a very rare event, and the majority of people—those who use cannabis and those who don’t—are unlikely to develop a psychotic disorder. The new study suggests that the age at which teens start using marijuana is a key predictor of whether someone will develop a psychotic disorder, and can increase the risk of developing one. 

“I think the message has to be stronger in tandem with the increasing potency of cannabis. Basically telling youth, “If you can delay your cannabis use until you’re in your young adult years, that can only be a good thing.””

Dr. McDonald 

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