Marijuana may be behind 30 PERCENT of schizophrenia cases in young men

Marijuana may cause an increase in schizophrenia among young men, a major government-funded study suggests.

Researchers supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse estimate that 30 percent of schizophrenia cases in men ages 21 to 30 are related to cannabis addiction.

Overall, the analysis of 6 million people across all age groups found that 15 percent of diagnoses in men and four percent in women could be attributed to the drug.

Dr. Nora Volkow, NIDA director and co-author of the study, said the results prompted “urgent action” and urged people to think twice before smoking marijuana.

The number of schizophrenia cases has increased in recent decades, due to the growing and aging population. But the researchers warn that it’s becoming more common as marijuana becomes more legal.

Dr Volkow said: ‘The intertwining of substance use disorders and mental illness is a major public health problem that requires urgent action and support for those in need.

“As access to potent cannabis products continues to expand, it is critical that we also expand prevention, screening and treatment for people who may experience mental health conditions related to cannabis use.

She added: “The findings of this study are a step in that direction and may help guide decisions that healthcare providers can make in caring for patients, as well as decisions that individuals can make about their own cannabis use.”

Scientists suggest that smoking weed can cause schizophrenia by interfering with the development of young brains.

Brain areas related to judgment, problem solving, and emotions continue to develop and build new connections into your mid-twenties.

But scientists warn that smoking marijuana can derail this process and, as a result, increase a young person’s risk of psychotic thoughts and schizophrenia.

About 2.8 million adults in the United States suffer from schizophrenia, estimates suggest, a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels and behaves.

Patients suffer from symptoms such as loss of contact with reality, hallucinations, paranoia and inability to answer questions. As a result, patients face problems in their personal and professional lives.

There is no cure for the condition, with doctors focusing instead on managing the symptoms through antipsychotic medication and therapy.

In the latest study, researchers in Denmark analyzed the medical records of six million people over five decades, from 1972 to 2021.

All participants were between the ages of 16 and 49 at least once during the study period.

They also all came from Denmark, which is based in Europe, where recreational cannabis use is illegal but still accessible through the black market.

Participants’ medical records were checked for cannabis use disorders, which was defined as the inability to stop using the drug, even if it harms their health and social life.

All cases were also checked for a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

There were 45,327 cases of schizophrenia in the study.

A total of 60,563 participants were also diagnosed with a cannabis use disorder, three-quarters of whom were male.

After accounting for other risk factors, including alcohol use and a parental history of schizophrenia, cannabis use disorder was linked to about 30 percent of schizophrenia diagnoses in young men by 2021.

Researchers suggested that more cases of schizophrenia were associated with cannabis use in men because this group was more likely to smoke the drug and to smoke more often than women.

Previous research has suggested that men use the drug more often than women and are more likely to use it, which may be related to peer pressure.

Nevertheless, the advent of other ways to use the drug — such as gummies — is now fueling an increase in marijuana use among women.

The NIDA, which funded the study, has been vocal in its warnings about cannabis use in the United States, warning that far too little is known about its health effects to make the drug widely available for recreational use.

It came into action after as many as 22 states legalized and legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

However, a growing body of research warns that the drug may impair brain development in adolescents and increase the risk of mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Dr. Carsten Hjorthøj, a mental health expert at the University of Copenhagen who was involved in the study, said: ‘The increase in cannabis legalization in recent decades has made it one of the most commonly used psychoactive substances in the world, while also decreasing public perception of its harmful effects.

“This study adds to our growing understanding that cannabis use is not harmless and that risks are not fixed at any point in time.”

He already warned in 2021 that cannabis was “not harmless”.

“Unfortunately, there are indications that cannabis is increasingly seen as a somewhat harmless substance,” he said CNN.

“This is unfortunate, as we see associations with schizophrenia, poorer cognitive function, substance use disorders, etc.”

The research has been published in the journal Psychological medicine.