Resumen de Cannabis and Psychosis: A Causal Association
Nowadays, the use of cannabis is widespread around the world and THC content of confiscated cannabis has increased in the last years. This fact has raised some consequences, especially in the mental health of the people. Although there have existed some initial controversies about the relationship between cannabis and psychosis, at the present time there are some certainties of the causal association between them. Through the Bradford Hill postulates, we will try to demonstrate that cannabis produces psychosis. The strength of the association, the consistency along the studies, biological gradient, temporality, plausibility, coherence, experimentation, and analogies support the cause-effect association between cannabis and psychosis. In regard to the characteristics of schizophrenia disorder in patients that had previously used cannabis, there are contradictory findings. Cannabis increases symptoms’ severity, relapse, and time of hospitalization and deteriorates the functionality of those individuals already affected by psychotic disorders. We can conclude that all these data warn against the indiscriminate use of cannabis and warrant the recommendation to first-order relatives of patients suffering schizophrenia to prevent using cannabis or to stop using it. Cannabis users should avoid taking heavy doses or increasing THC content of the cannabis used. Teenagers are the most vulnerable age group and should be advised of the risk that the use of cannabis entails. Main efforts should be done to discourage the use of cannabis or to treat the addiction in those already dependent in this population.
