Abstract
BackgroundCannabis use can frequently have adverse affects in those that use it and these can be amplified by various characteristics of an individual, from demographic and environmental variations to familial predisposition for mental illnesses.MethodsThe current study of 100 individuals, who were cannabis users during their adolescence and may still be users, was a survey of the self perceived effects of cannabis and their correlates. A reliable family member was also interviewed for determination of family history of various major mental illnesses and substance use.ResultsAs many as 40% of cannabis users had paranoid feelings (suspiciousness) when using cannabis, although the most frequent effect was feeling relaxed (46%). Having a familial background for mental illnesses such as depression or schizophrenia did not determine the effects of cannabis nor its pattern of use, although the number of subjects with such a history was small. An age at which an individual began using cannabis did have an effect on how heavily it was used and the heavier the cannabis use, the more likely the individual was also to have had psychotic symptoms after use. There were no sex differences in effects of cannabis. These results are tempered by the reliance on self-report for many of the variables ascertained.ConclusionCannabis can frequently have negative effects in its users, which can be amplified by certain demographic and/or psychosocial factors. Thus, users with a specific profile may be at a higher risk of unpleasant effects from cannabis use and caution should be noted when cannabis is administered to young people for medicinal purposes.
Highlights
Cannabis use can frequently have adverse affects in those that use it and these can be amplified by various characteristics of an individual, from demographic and environmental variations to familial predisposition for mental illnesses
A family pedigree was drawn with information obtained from the participant, and when available, at least one family informant was interviewed regarding illnesses known to occur within the family using the Family Interview for Genetic Studies [12], a structured interview aimed at obtaining information about family members from a reliable and knowledgeable family informant
The study included 48 males and 52 females (21.83+/−2.63). 75% of the individuals had no psychiatric diagnoses, while 19% were diagnosed with major depression, 9% satisfied criteria for schizotypal personality disorder, 4% for paranoid personality disorder, and 9% for other personality disorders or traits partially satisfying criteria for a spectrum of personality disorders. 26% individuals scored positively on the SIS for social anxiety
Summary
Cannabis use can frequently have adverse affects in those that use it and these can be amplified by various characteristics of an individual, from demographic and environmental variations to familial predisposition for mental illnesses. There has been considerable debate about whether it is truly a dangerous recreational drug or is relatively harmless and should be legalized [2] The outcome of this debate depends largely on whether cannabis can be shown to cause deleterious changes in the brain and cognition. The majority of cannabis users describe their use in terms of “joints”, “bowls” or “blunts” which can all vary in volume [7,8]. Those individuals who have used cannabis heavily have likely tried and been frequent users of other drugs as well. It is difficult to tease apart the effects of cannabis from other substances
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