Cannabis Use: Is It Really Safe?

No, I don't condone the use of illicit substances.  But I do find it curious as to how some are considered licit while others are illicit.  For instance, we know that there are very few benefits to the use of tobacco (are there any at all?) compared to all the down sides from its use, yet it's still sold legally here.  Alcohol is trickier since many studies demonstrate some benefit when consumed in moderation.  However, there's a very visible minority that enjoys their alcohol in excess to the detriment of others.  That's where I draw the line because when your business becomes my business, it's no longer a matter of individual rights & freedom.

Any way, I digress.  I wanted to review a meta-analysis (study of studies) published this month in the Archives of General Psychiatry  looking at the recreational non-medicinal use of cannabis (marijuana).  More importantly, I wanted to see if the authors reported any downside to the use of cannabis since most recreational users state that it causes no harm.  Turns out that cannabis users had an earlier psychotic break than non-users, almost 3 years earlier.  Alcohol and other substances did not play a role in onset of psychosis.

Ironically, in my previous life, exactly 3 short years ago, I wrote two posts regarding the use of marijuana, the first on February 5, 2008 and the second on February 18, 2008, the latter in response to some input from colleagues.  Concordant with my posts, an earlier analysis in the Lancet also concluded that use of marijuana increased the risk of psychosis later on in life.

Of course, one could always argue for an associative effect rather than causal in nature.  But the authors of this month's study concluded that the current evidence support a causal relationship.  In other words, use of marijuana increases one's risk of (earlier) psychosis.  So think twice before you light up!

Part 2
Part 3