Marijuana Linked to Psychosis

The increased use of marijuana as well as the debate over decriminalisation and legalisation has left many with questions about the potential dangers of cannabis. A new study found that people who used marijuana were more likely to develop psychosis than those who did not. Researchers from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in conjunction with colleagues from Virginia Commonwealth University examined the relationship between cannabis use and psychotic disorders in twins. The risk of developing psychotic symptoms was three times higher for those participants who used marijuana compared to non-users. Previous research has linked regular marijuana use to a range of other cognitive deficits such as poor attention and memory and lower IQ. Brain images have shown that cannabis use can lead to changes in brain structure, especially in the gray matter, an area that has been linked to intelligence.