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The strength of marijuana could be an important consideration when evaluating the health risks of using cannabis, according to a study of more than 2,000 patients and controls published yesterday (March 19) in The Lancet Psychiatry.
At 10 locations in Europe and another in Brazil, researchers found that variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder correlated with differences in the frequency of cannabis use and, in particular, the use of high-potency cannabis, which can carry levels of psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) greater than 10 percent.
“Daily use of high-potency cannabis and how this varies across Europe explains some of the striking variations we have measured in the incidence of psychotic disorder,” coauthor Marta Di Forti of King’s College London tells The Guardian.
After controlling for education, drinking habits, and other factors, the researchers found that there was a 40 percent greater chance of developing a psychotic disorder ...
