Cannabis and psychosis. Is there epidemiological evidence for an association?
The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science July 1, 1990 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.157.1.25 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA review of the evidence finds no convincing support for a separate clinical diagnosis of 'cannabis psychosis'. Cannabis can produce brief acute organic reactions and, in moderate to heavy doses, psychotic episodes in clear consciousness. Ingestion in naive users or increasingly heavy use in habitual users can precipitate a schizophreniform episode. Heavy users may have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia in the subsequent 15 years. Well-controlled, longitudinal studies are needed to explore these associations further and their possible aetiological significance.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | There is no convincing support for a separate clinical diagnosis of 'cannabis psychosis', but cannabis can produce brief acute organic reactions and psychotic episodes, and heavy use may increase the risk of developing schizophrenia over 15 years. |
Abstract
A review of the evidence shows that there is no convincing support for a separate clinical diagnosis of 'cannabis psychosis'. Cannabis can, however, produce brief acute organic reactions and, in moderate to heavy doses, psychotic episodes in clear consciousness. Ingestion in naive users or increasingly heavy use in habitual users can precipitate a schizophreniform episode. Heavy users may have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia in the subsequent 15 years. Well controlled, longitudinal studies are required to explore these associations further and their possible aetiological significance.