A new and comprehensive study has bolstered the case that there is a strong association between cannabis use and schizophrenia, especially among young men.
The study is novel for its size of nearly seven million people studied. It found that “one-fifth of cases of schizophrenia among young males might be prevented by averting cannabis use disorder” — which refers to a problematic pattern of cannabis use that leads to clinically significant impairment or distress.
The study, conducted in Denmark, does not itself establish causality. However, it adds to a growing body of evidence that there is a strong association between cannabis use and schizophrenia.
“There are a number of other studies, including prospective cohort studies that follow people over time, that yield similar findings,” said David Hammond, a professor at the University of Waterloo School of Public Health Sciences. “The association between regular cannabis use and the development of schizophrenia is one of the health effects with robust evidence.”
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