This study sought to determine
whether use of cannabis in adolescence increases the risk for psychotic outcomes by affecting the incidence and persistence of subclinical expression of psychosis in the general population (that is, expression of psychosis below the level required for a clinical diagnosis).
«Given the solid epidemiologic evidence supporting a link between cannabis exposure during adolescence and schizophrenia, we investigated
whether the use of cannabis during early adolescence (by 16 years of age) is associated with variations in brain maturation as a function of genetic risk for schizophrenia,» said senior author Tomas Paus, MD, PhD, the Anne and Max Tanenbaum Professor and Chair in Population Neuroscience at Baycrest, University of Toronto, and the Dr. John and Consuela Phelan Scholar at Child Mind Institute, New York.
Not exact matches
Compassion has driven a push to legalise the medicinal
use of cannabis but debate is raging about
whether big pharmaceutical companies, small start - ups or backyard growers will win the lucrative right to supply what could be a big market.
Mr. Caputi notes the lack
of large - scale follow - up data on
whether patients are
using cannabis together with or in place
of prescription drugs.
However, an accompanying commentary questions
whether medical
cannabis is the cause
of higher prescription drug
use, or
whether other factors explain the association.
Given the increased levels
of THC — the psychoactive component
of cannabis — in products available today, the team investigated
whether the
use of formal support services had changed over time.
Some researchers believe that smoking cigarettes and taking recreational drugs like LSD, ecstasy and
cannabis, may elevate a user's risk
of mental illnesses, including schizophrenia — although it can be difficult to assess
whether drug
use is a cause or effect.
The average amount
of cannabis used overall was 2.5 grams per day
whether smoked, vaporized or taken as edibles.
«Since the authors looked only at
cannabis use we can not know
whether this association is specific to
cannabis or
whether similar results would be found if past
use of other substances were to be explored.
Cannabis use disorder (CUD), replacing previous cannabis abuse and cannabis dependence, might be as common as appearing in one - fifth of regular cannabis users.6 Risk of CUD is higher in those who use more frequently, are male, and begin at a younger age.6, 24 However, in another study of those meeting criteria for having CUD, 67 % remitted (no longer met criteria) at 3 years, with 64 % of them no longer using cannabis.25 Whether regular medical use might result in CUD, what outcomes this might have, and if discontinuation presents concerns are all not well und
Cannabis use disorder (CUD), replacing previous
cannabis abuse and cannabis dependence, might be as common as appearing in one - fifth of regular cannabis users.6 Risk of CUD is higher in those who use more frequently, are male, and begin at a younger age.6, 24 However, in another study of those meeting criteria for having CUD, 67 % remitted (no longer met criteria) at 3 years, with 64 % of them no longer using cannabis.25 Whether regular medical use might result in CUD, what outcomes this might have, and if discontinuation presents concerns are all not well und
cannabis abuse and
cannabis dependence, might be as common as appearing in one - fifth of regular cannabis users.6 Risk of CUD is higher in those who use more frequently, are male, and begin at a younger age.6, 24 However, in another study of those meeting criteria for having CUD, 67 % remitted (no longer met criteria) at 3 years, with 64 % of them no longer using cannabis.25 Whether regular medical use might result in CUD, what outcomes this might have, and if discontinuation presents concerns are all not well und
cannabis dependence, might be as common as appearing in one - fifth
of regular
cannabis users.6 Risk of CUD is higher in those who use more frequently, are male, and begin at a younger age.6, 24 However, in another study of those meeting criteria for having CUD, 67 % remitted (no longer met criteria) at 3 years, with 64 % of them no longer using cannabis.25 Whether regular medical use might result in CUD, what outcomes this might have, and if discontinuation presents concerns are all not well und
cannabis users.6 Risk
of CUD is higher in those who
use more frequently, are male, and begin at a younger age.6, 24 However, in another study
of those meeting criteria for having CUD, 67 % remitted (no longer met criteria) at 3 years, with 64 %
of them no longer
using cannabis.25 Whether regular medical use might result in CUD, what outcomes this might have, and if discontinuation presents concerns are all not well und
cannabis.25
Whether regular medical
use might result in CUD, what outcomes this might have, and if discontinuation presents concerns are all not well understood.
The Michigan researchers examined
whether using medical
cannabis for chronic pain changed patterns
of opioid
use.
Communities will be able to hold a plebiscite on
whether to restrict or ban the sale /
use of cannabis as they presently can for alcohol;
However, questions were raised about
whether the legalization
of cannabis might increase
use and how that would affect workplace policies.
Box 3 also includes clinical judgements about compliance,
whether alcohol or
cannabis was currently
used at clinically significant levels, and
whether their
use contributed to the onset
of the psychotic disorders.