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What is the relationship between different types of cannabis and their addiction and mental health issues? According to English researchers, the THC content is directly involved.
Researchers from the Addiction and Mental Health group at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom carried out a meta-analysis of around twenty studies, involving more than 120,000 people, to reach this conclusion. The results are published in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry.
The more potent the cannabis, the more addictive it is
In cannabis, it is the concentration of THC or tetrahydrocannabinol which translates its “potency”. Thus, the more the drug contains, the stronger the cannabis will be. The researchers first demonstrated that over time, the cannabis in circulation was getting stronger and stronger, with increasing concentrations of THC.
In their findings, the researchers find that people who use high-potency cannabis are more likely to develop addiction than those who use low-potency products.
More mental health issues
Furthermore, the researchers’ findings also suggest that people who use high-potency cannabis are more likely to suffer from a psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia.
A phenomenon noted by figures, such as those of the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction, which show “a 76% increase in the number of people entering treatment for cannabis addiction over the past decade”.
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Enlighten the consumer on his choices
Despite anecdotal evidence of links between cannabis and anxiety and depression, the authors note that the association between cannabis potency and other mental health problems is not clearly established.
However, Dr. Tom Freeman, lead author of this work, believes that “the results suggest that people who use cannabis could reduce their risk by using less potent products. In places where cannabis is sold legally, providing consumers with accurate information about product content and access to low-potency products could help people use cannabis more safely.”.
Remember that after alcohol and nicotine, cannabis is the most widely used drug in the world. The latest estimates from the UK suggest that in the past year around one in five young people aged 16 to 24 have used cannabis.