Is marijuana use related to schizophrenia?
The evidence suggests that marijuana use can trigger schizophrenia in people with a family history of the disorder who are under severe stress, and it can aggravate schizophrenia symptoms in people who already have the disorder (Channabasavanna et al., 1999; Hall et al., 1999). Young people who frequently use marijuana in high doses (Hall et al., 1999) are also more likely to develop schizophrenia later in life (Hall, 1998; Andreasson et al., 1987; Arseneault et al. 2002). People who have responded well to schizophrenia treatment may be prone to relapse while using marijuana (Dixon et al., 1990). The most contentious issue is whether or not marijuana use causes schizophrenia symptoms which would not otherwise appear if the drug were not used. Researchers cannot rule out this possibility (Channabasavanna et al., 1999; Hall et al., 1999; Zammit et al., 2002). Does marijuana conflict with drugs used in the treatment of mental illness or other health problems? Psychoactive and therapeutic
