Smoking Strong Marijuana Linked to Psychiatric Disorders, New Study Shows

A new study shows that those who smoke very strong marijuana have an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders.

Previous studies suggest that marijuana is not linked to serious health problems, and some actually use it to treat some medical problems.

However, there are studies that point out the fact that smoking strong marijuana on a regular basis can lead to serious mental health problems like depression.

A team of researchers from the Kings College London has conducted a study which suggests that using very potent marijuana contributes to the development of psychiatric issues.

Sir Robin Murray, a professor of psychiatry at King’s College and one of the researchers involved in the study, explains that they had more than 800 volunteers for the study, between the ages of 18 and 65.
Out of the 800 participants, more than 400 said they experienced psychotic episodes, while the others were classified as healthy but were kept for further studies and for comparison purposes.

Dr. Marta Di Forti, who was also one of the researchers who conducted the study, said that the results revealed that the participants who smoked marijuana were more likely to develop psychiatric disorders, compared to those who never used marijuana for recreational purposes.

The study also suggested that people who used marijuana on daily basis had an even higher risk of developing psychiatric problems.

Dr Di Forti explained that the risk of psychotic episodes depends on how strong the marijuana is and how often people smoke it. The stronger the drug is and the more people smoke it, the higher the risk of psychosis.
According to Dr. Di Forti, smoking hash was not linked with any psychiatric disorders.

The research suggests that although people who smoke very potent marijuana on a regular basis may experience psychotic episodes, the study does not confirm that the users will develop permanent mental disorders.
The study does not associate low-potency marijuana or hash with a higher risk of psychosis.

The researchers explain that the study is important for understanding the connection between cannabis and psychosis.
The findings were published in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry.
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