Pot Ups Risk for Mental Illness

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One expert believes the link between marijuana and the risk for psychosis is real, and needs to be viewed as a problem much like tobacco and its health risks.

"This seems to be the best of studies conducted so far, and although this issue could never be proven directly, due to ethical limitations of a prospective exposure study, it provides a solid evidence that smoking cannabis increases risk for the development of psychosis later in life," said Dr. Adam Bisaga, an associate professor of clinical psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry, Division on Substance Abuse, at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New York City.

The study should change the view of risks involved in smoking cannabis, which until now has been considered by many to be a relatively benign substance, with low addiction potential and few long-term risks, Bisaga said.

"We should change our approach and screen for cannabis use in the primary-care setting, counsel those who use it about increased risk of developing a potentially devastating psychotic illness and recommend stopping smoking," Bisaga said. "For those that are not able to stop using because of cannabis addiction, we should refer them to treatment."

Cannabis addiction can be effectively treated, which may reduce the risk of psychosis, Bisaga said.

"It appears that we are repeating the process we went through with tobacco use, initially considered to be benign, but as long-term risks were recognized, societal attitudes have changed, effective prevention strategies and treatments were developed, and rates of use and associated risks have diminished," he said. "We should now think about adopting some of these strategies to help cannabis smokers."

More information

To learn more about drug addiction, try the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.