Using high-strength cannabis puts people at a bigger risk of developing psychosis and becoming addicted, according to new analysis. Twenty studies involving nearly 120,000 individuals found those who use cannabis products with a high level of tetrahydrocannabinol - THC - are more likely to suffer from conditions such as schizophrenia.
THC is the main psychoactive substance in cannabis, meaning it affects how the brain works, thereby influencing the user’s mood, reactions, thoughts and emotions. The risk of developing a psychotic disorder was five times higher among those who use high-strength cannabis on a daily basis compared to those who never use it, according to one study reviewed.
In contrast, researchers from the Addiction and Mental Health Group at the University of Bath found using less potent cannabis regularly was not linked with an increased risk of psychosis. The analysis also found a higher risk of addiction, or "cannabis-use disorder", among those who use high THC products compared to users of milder forms of the drug.
