Mental Health News
Researchers at the University of Bath explored how high-potency cannabis use is linked to addiction and mental health problems. The study is published in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry.
The Study
The researchers surveyed 20 studies involving almost 120,000 participants. They studied how mental disorders (like depression, anxiety, psychosis, or cannabis use disorder) are linked to the strength or potency of cannabis products used.
Cannabis potency, as it is popularly referred to, is actually the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis, the key psychoactive drug component that fuels cannabis addiction.
The Findings
The results revealed that the concentration of THC in cannabis has increased over the years and this has served to increase cannabis addiction in its users. In fact, higher doses of THC in cannabis are significantly linked to severe cases of psychosis, depression, anxiety, and cannabis use disorder.
The researchers are enthusiastic that the study can help formulate effective psychoeducational and legal measures related to cannabis use.
One of the lead authors, Kat Petrilli, elaborated: “While the safest level of use for cannabis is of course ‘no use’, it is important to acknowledge that a significant number of people across the world use cannabis regularly and to ensure they can make informed decisions that could reduce any possible harms associated with it.”
To Know More You May Refer To
Petrilli, K., Ofori, S., Hines, L., Taylor, G., Adams, S., & Freeman, T. P. (2022). Association of cannabis potency with mental ill health and addiction: a systematic review. The lancet. Psychiatry, 9(9), 736–750. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(22)00161-4
