Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined

SEASON 1 | EPISODE 4: Does Cannabis Cause Schizophrenia?

Right now, there’s an idea that cannabis is a harmless drug and some people say they use it to help their mental health. But for those predisposed to serious mental illnesses such as Schizophrenia, science tells us it’s not that cut and dry. Host Faydra Aldridge of BCSS, along with her guest Dr. Nick Mathew, a practising addiction and forensic psychiatrist, look at how society grapples with cannabis use in a time of greater legalization; and how cannabis can be both helpful and dangerous to people with mental illness.

Additional Resources:

• Cannabis use in first episode psychosis: what we have tried and why it hasn’t worked (BMC Medicine)
• Cannabis, Schizophrenia, and Psychosis (BC Schizophrenia Society)
• Cannabinoids for the treatment of mental disorders and symptoms of mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis (The Lancet)
• A Review of Human Studies Assessing Cannabidiol’s (CBD) Therapeutic Actions and Potential (The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology)
• Impact of adolescent marijuana use on intelligence: Results from two longitudinal twin studies (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
• Rates and Predictors of Conversion to Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder Following Substance-Induced Psychosis (American Journal of Psychiatry)
• Daily Use, Especially of High-Potency Cannabis Drives Earlier Onset of Psychosis (Schizophrenia Bulletin)
• Cannabis and Psychosis: A Critical Overview of the Relationship (Current Psychiatry Reports)