London: People who begin smoking cannabis to ease pain, anxiety or depression have a greater risk of developing paranoia compared with those who use the drug recreationally, new research has revealed.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal and led by academics at King’s College London, analysed responses from 3,389 current and former cannabis users over the age of 18 with no history of psychosis.
Results showed that individuals who started using cannabis as a form of self-medication and were already experiencing minor psychotic symptoms recorded significantly higher paranoia scores. By contrast, the lowest scores were reported among those who used cannabis for leisure or out of curiosity.
On average, respondents consumed 206 units of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per week, equivalent to 10 to 17 joints. However, those who used cannabis to manage anxiety or depression reported higher levels, averaging 248 and 254.7 units, respectively.
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Currently, in England, only patients with rare forms of epilepsy, adults with chemotherapy-induced nausea, and some people with multiple sclerosis are eligible for medicinal cannabis prescriptions through the NHS.
Professor Robin Murray, a psychiatric researcher at King’s College London, cautioned that cannabis is often wrongly seen as harmless. Robin Murray stated that, “What we can show in this study is that the effect of cannabis is a bit like the effect of alcohol or food — the more you take, the more problems you get into.”
Robin Murray added that, “Contrary to what it says on the internet, cannabis is not medicinal. Pain, anxiety and depression are the conditions most people claim to treat with cannabis, and they are exactly the ones that are linked to higher paranoia risk.”
Dr. Emily Finch, chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ addiction faculty, stressed that society must better recognise the dangers. Dr. Finch remarked that, “Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance in the UK, and around a third of users develop a problem with it during their lifetime. Daily users of high-potency cannabis are nearly five times more likely to develop a psychotic disorder, with adolescents at particular risk.”
Dr. Finch urged the UK government to strengthen substance use and mental health services, including early intervention for young people at risk. A related study, published in Psychological Medicine, also using the Cannabis&Me survey, highlighted a strong link between childhood trauma and cannabis-related paranoia.
Researchers found that 52 percent of cannabis users reported some form of childhood trauma, with those who had suffered physical or emotional abuse recording paranoia scores 35 to 40 percent higher. Participants with a history of sexual abuse also reported consuming higher levels of THC on average.
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