The consumption of cannabis is on the rise, so much so, that several countries across the globe have legalized its sale for personal and medical use. However, the use of high-potency cannabis is continually linked to poor mental health outcomes. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between cannabis potency and mental health outcomes.
This is a cohort study that included a total of 1,087 participants (mean [SD] age 16.7 years) who reported recent cannabis use. Individuals with exposure to high-potency cannabis were considered, and the primary outcome of the study was mental health outcomes, like drug abuse, depression, anxiety disorder, and psychotic-like experiences.
Of 1,087 participants, 141 (13.0%) reported the use of high-potency cannabis. The findings suggested that the use of high-potency cannabis was associated with an increased frequency of cannabis (AOR 4.38) use and increased risk of an anxiety disorder (1.92). Further adjustments also indicated the association of high-potency cannabis use with psychotic experiences (1.29), tobacco dependence (1.42), and illicit drug use (1.29).
The research concluded that the use of high-potency cannabis use is related to an increased frequency of cannabis consumption, anxiety disorder, psychotic experiences, tobacco dependence, and illicit drug use.
Ref: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2765973?resultClick=1
