By Shane Gibson, Metronews, Sept. 11, 2013
A national study on pot use and psychosis released by the Schizophrenia Society of Canada (SSC) Tuesday shows the drug can trigger and worsen psychosis in young people already prone to the psychiatric disorder.
The research is part of a SSC project funded by Health Canada aiming to give young people pause to think before lighting their first joint.
“Hopefully it’ll inform kids as to whether or not to use cannabis based on a knowledge of their family’s (mental health) history,” explained SSC’s CEO Chris Summerville. “Does marijuana specifically in and by itself cause a mental illness? No. But does it make your risk greater? Yes.”Summerville said past research has shown young people who are already vulnerable to psychosis are four to seven times more likely to become ill with a psychotic illness.
The recently completed four-year participatory study, led by Dr. Katherine Boydell at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, saw 28 young people who had both used pot and experienced psychosis chosen as research assistants to lead interviews, focus groups and workshops with 50 other young people with similar experiences with pot and psychosis.
Participants used their experiences to create educational videos that are now on YouTube, and the research was used to create an interactive e-learning component that can be found at cannabisandpsychosis.ca.
http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/791129/canadian-study-links-pot-use-and-psychosis-for-those-already-vulnerable/
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