New study suggests that smoking cannabis increases the risk of psychosis

 

 

New study suggests that smoking cannabis increases the risk of psychosis. People over the age of 65 are more likely to be admitted to the emergency department if they use cannabis. In addition, recently published research has found that senior citizens who are admitted to the intensive care unit after using cannabis are up to 72 percent more likely to develop dementia.

A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry points to another change that occurs in the brains of cannabis users. The study reveals that using cannabis in large quantities - to the point of affecting normal life - changes the activity of dopamine in the brain. The study also says that this is very similar to the patterns seen in patients with psychosis. The study was conducted on users between the ages of 18 and 35. A 2024 study also found that regular use of high-potency cannabis increases the risk of psychosis. Jessica Ahrens, a PhD student at McGill University and author of the study, said she hopes the research will help educate young people about the risks associated with cannabis use. She added that people with a family history of psychosis should be especially careful.