Adolescents who use marijuana may have an increased risk of experiencing psychotic symptoms (PS).
Over an extended period of time, researchers looked at the association between marijuana use and PS in 3,720 children who were 13 years old at the start of the study. They voluntarily completed an annual online survey for the next 4 years. The annual survey asked questions about their use of marijuana and whether they experienced PS.
After evaluating the surveys, researchers discovered that “psychosis symptoms at age 15 years had a statistically significant positive association with cannabis use at age 16 years.”
The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, indicates that children who frequently use marijuana have an increased risk for developing psychiatric conditions. Based on the findings, researchers are calling for interventions and policies that minimize young people’s access to marijuana.
