{"id":28061,"date":"2023-05-23T11:59:08","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T10:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabishealthnews.co.uk\/?p=28061"},"modified":"2023-05-24T10:24:57","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T09:24:57","slug":"a-conversation-about-cannabis-and-psychosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabishealthnews.co.uk\/2023\/05\/23\/a-conversation-about-cannabis-and-psychosis\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting the balance right: a conversation about cannabis and psychosis"},"content":{"rendered":"
For decades the relationship between cannabis and psychosis – and its portrayal in the media – has fuelled debate and arguably, perpetuated stigma.<\/span><\/p>\r\n While some argue that a causal association between cannabis use and psychosis has been identified in psychiatric epidemiology among a minority of users, others say that factors such as poverty, social deprivation and trauma make it difficult to infer a causal link with any certainty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n Now that increasing numbers of people around the world have legal access to cannabis for both medicinal and recreational use, where does that leave us?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n At this year\u2019s Cannabis Europa<\/a> in London, one of the world\u2019s leading researchers in the field of cannabis and psychosis, Dr Marta Di Forti, sat down with psychiatrists and UK cannabis clinicians, Dr Niraj Singh<\/span>, of Lenus Global<\/span> and Dr Luisa Searle, associate medical director of Jorja Emerson Centres<\/a>, to discuss what we know about the relationship between cannabis and psychosis.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u00a0<\/span>This is what we learned\u2026<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n Psychosis<\/a> is a broad term which can cover multiple things.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u201cIt\u2019s very important to be aware when we talk about psychosis, we’re not always talking about the same thing,\u201d said Dr Singh.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u201cIt’s a very broad spectrum.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n It is most often associated with\u00a0 psychotic illnesses and delusional disorders, but in some cases it can also be the result of complex trauma, severe anxiety, and\/or use of<\/span> alcohol,<\/span><\/a> amphetamines, cocaine and various other drugs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n The prevalence of psychosis varies across the world, depending on the different risk factors which include genetics, social deprivation, ethnicity, unemployment, loneliness, trauma and <\/span>obstetric complications<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n It can generally be categorised by a change in perception, thinking and belief that affects an individual’s level of functioning and\/or alienation from the wider community. It can also impact cognition and executive function, such as our attention span and the ability to plan and execute tasks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n Dr Searle thinks about psychosis in two ways: A detachment from reality, which is when delusions and cognitive symptoms come into play, and a disorder of salience. Salience is related to the importance or significance that we attach to certain events, for example something which a healthy person may dismiss, becomes very prominent and important to someone experiencing a psychotic episode.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u00a0<\/span>There are a number of key differences between cannabis that is now prescribed legally in the UK and illicit cannabis that has generally been used in research studies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u00a0<\/span>Products which are prescribed for medicinal use must comply with Good Manufacturing Processes (EU GMP), and be accompanied by certificates of analysis. As a result doctors and patients usually have a better understanding of what\u2019s in the product in terms of cannabinoid and terpene content<\/a> and ratios.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u201cWith medicinal cannabis, there is an accountability there,\u201d said Dr Searle. <\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n There are processes, legislation and safety standards which manufacturers must adhere to. Medical cannabis is produced under stricter conditions and there are regulations around what types of pesticides you can use to make them safe for human consumption.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n \u201cThe levels of THC and CBD are also much better controlled and often much lower than that which we find on the street, which can have very high percentages of THC up to 25% and above and which is often not suitable for the majority of patients. It can also lack CBD, which is a very important component of the plant and can help balance and offset some of the side effects<\/a> from unopposed THC.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\u00a0<\/span>Firstly, what is psychosis and how common is it?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\r\n
Before we get into the details, let\u2019s clear up the differences between prescribed and \u2018street\u2019 or illicit cannabis\u2026<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\r\n