A new study from Denmark has found an increasing correlation between problematic, excessive cannabis use and cases of schizophrenia.
A new study from Denmark has shown that over the past 25 years, the number of cannabis-related schizophrenia cases has increased: while only 2 percent of schizophrenia diagnoses in 1995 were related to marijuana use, by 2010 that number had risen to about 8 percent .
Authors of the study, published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, believe their findings reflect that cannabis, despite its positive reputation over other recreational drugs, can be dangerous and have serious medical side effects.
To reach this conclusion, they analyzed decades of data from Denmark's National Health Registry, targeting extreme users. Recreational use of cannabis is illegal in Denmark.
Can cannabis lead to schizophrenia?
“Cannabis is increasingly seen as a somewhat harmless substance. This is unfortunate, as we see links to schizophrenia, poorer cognitive function, substance use disorders," study author and associate professor told the newspaper. Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health Carsten Hjorthøj to CNN in an email. “I think it is very important to use our research as well as other studies to emphasize that cannabis use is not harmless.
It is well known that cannabis users are more likely to develop schizophrenia, but researchers believe their findings show that the problem is worsening and becoming more common. “Of course, our findings will have to be replicated elsewhere before firm conclusions can be drawn,” Hjorthøj said. “But I am quite confident that we will see similar patterns in places where problematic cannabis use has increased, or where cannabis potency has increased, as many studies suggest that potent cannabis is likely the root of the association with schizophrenia.”
In an accompanying commentary, experts noted that the majority of schizophrenia diagnoses are not due to cannabis use. “Cannabis use disorder is not responsible for most cases of schizophrenia, but is responsible for a non-negligible and increasing proportion. This should be considered in discussions of legalization and regulation of cannabis use,” Tyler J. VanderWeele, a professor at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, reported CNN.
Read more nypost.com (Source, EN)
