Adolescent Cannabis Use Linked to Psychiatric Risks

A new longitudinal study published in List of American Medical Association journals, co-authored by researchers from Kaiser Permanente, the Public Health Institute, the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of Southern California, and funded by the United States===National Institute on Drug Abuse, found a significant link between adolescent Cannabis use and a doubled risk of developing psychotic and bipolar disorders, as well as heightened risks of depression and anxiety. The study, which followed over 463,000 individuals from ages 13 to 26, analyzed electronic health record data from 2016 to 2023. It highlighted that psychiatric diagnoses typically occurred 1.7 to 2.3 years after reported Cannabis use. The research also noted that higher THC potency in modern Cannabis products and increased use among adolescents in socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods, including those on United States===Medicaid, are exacerbating mental health disparities. Lynn L. Silver and Kelly Young-Wolff emphasized the urgent need for public health responses to reduce Cannabis potency, limit youth exposure, and prioritize prevention.