Does Cannabis Cause Psychosis?
An excellent balanced report in The Independent:
"First, there has been no increase in schizophrenia in this country despite a massive increase in cannabis smoking. Second, there is no evidence that cannabis-growing populations such as Jamaica have a higher incidence of psychosis. Third, you can show an association [between the drug and the illness] but you can't show a cause."
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There is plenty of research that shows the "cause" - check out the COMT gene research, read the dozens of studies that have been done (the actually full reports, not just the summaries). Its all here:
http://www.schizophrenia.com/prevention/cannabis.marijuana.schizophrenia.html
I don't understand why researchers don't conduct studies in contries (i.e. marocco), where canabis has been used for much longer period than in the western countries. Wouldn't that be a good start point
One of the reasons such research isn't done is because of social effects. The cannabis-psychosis relationship may be culture specific. In countries like the UK and US we understand psychosis in a specific cultural context. E.g., we tend to live in an evidenced based culture that has a protestant work ethic, not to mention social stress and other pressures. Cannabis may well interact with these factors. In a predominantly moslem/arabic country like Morocco the social context is very different. Psychotic symptoms are understood differently there, and many of the effects are not considered to be expressions of pathology. Furthermore, cannabis has been encultured there for many centuries so that peer support helps users to deal with (and understand) effects such as psychosis in positive ways. It would be unwise to compare that situation with the effects of cannabis on underpriviledged urban teenagers in the UK or US.
There is a lot of mention about the stregnth of cannabis available, what is not mentioned is the quantity consumed as well as situation of the smoker.
I have smoked for years, and consider my best work done while in periods of smoking. I didn't smoke at work or during the day, only of an evening.
No signs of psycosis. Now I have depression and seeing psychologists and psych services.
This is also the reason I have stopped smoking cannabis.
From above it looks like it caused it. I believe not: My marriage has broken down through wifes illness. I had some trouble at work after a change of management, during which time I was not smoking apart from a spliff at a couple of parties (I don't go to parties much by the way)
The first time I tried smoking again after this I felt so down and alone and bad thoughts that I stopped. That is why I think situation is so important. You are playing with a substance and if you are not fit for it don't do it. I don't drink either as that depresses me.
I look forward to being healthy again and I know that one of the things I will enjoy is to have a spliff every now and then but the most important thing is to see if my marriage can be fixed