{"id":15722,"date":"2024-08-03T08:30:45","date_gmt":"2024-08-03T12:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/?p=15722"},"modified":"2026-03-26T02:02:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T06:02:52","slug":"research-suggests-that-high-potency-thc-products-arent-for-everyone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/research-suggests-that-high-potency-thc-products-arent-for-everyone\/","title":{"rendered":"Rising THC Concentrations in Cannabis Products Can Pose Health Risks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Psychologists and other medical professionals have long warned against the potential impact of cannabis on the brain, including presenting with psychosis as a result. Now, the<\/span> Psychiatric Times<\/span><\/a> has announced that there is novel insight that serves as evidence that cannabis is \u201cassociated with adverse effects of psychopathology and cognition\u201d. This may sound alarming, but rest assured, we\u2019ll break it down and identify preventative measures. This new insight is the result of a study that suggests there is a connection between high potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Link Between THC and Elevated Risk of Psychosis<\/b><\/h2>\n

Psychosis is a severe mental condition that greatly impacts the way the brain processes information causing one to break from reality. The condition can cause one to see, hear, or even believe things that aren\u2019t real. However, it is important to know that psychosis is a symptom, not an illness itself. It is usually a result of psychotic disorders such as<\/span> Bipolar Disorder<\/span><\/a> and Schizophrenia, which involve episodes of psychosis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Psychiatric Times study, with Dr. Brain Miller, explained that it is \u201cestimated that 47% of patients with schizophrenia also had a lifetime comorbid diagnosis of a substance use disorder\u201d and that \u201ccannabis is one of the commonly used\u201d among those. They go on to explain that cannabidiol (<\/span>CBD<\/span><\/a>) can decrease psychotic symptoms as well as improving cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia but it is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that can induce psychosis and cognitive impairment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In support of the connection between<\/span> high potency THC<\/span><\/a> and elevated risk of psychosis, the team mentioned that evidence from 69 studies has displayed that \u201cfrequent or heavy use was associated with significantly reduced cognitive functioning\u201d but those effects \u201cdiminished with abstinence for more than 72 hours\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, support includes the meta-analysis of 10 studies where the researchers investigated the association \u201cbetween the degree of cannabis consumption and risk of psychosis\u201d. The results were, once again, that higher levels of cannabis use were associated with an increased risk of psychosis. What\u2019s more, Dr. Miller found evidence for a dose-response relationship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The dose-response relationship can basically be explained as a \u201c2-fold increase in risk (of psychosis) for the average cannabis user, and a 4-fold increase in risk for the heaviest users compared with non-users\u201d. Dr. Miller explains that this may not be evidence of an association but it \u201cremains a replicated factor for psychosis with a clear dose-dependent relationship\u201d. Note that despite this study, cannabis and psychosis are still far from being proven to be in a causal relationship. This is a sentiment echoed in a <\/span>2020 statement<\/span><\/a> by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lastly, this<\/span> 2009 study<\/span><\/a> explains that \u201cthere was no difference\u201d between the psychiatric condition of participants \u201cwhether they had ever taken cannabis, or age at first use\u201d. The study also found that 78% of their participants were making use of high-potency cannabis such as sinsemilla or \u2018skunk\u2019. The study concluded with its findings which were that \u201cpeople with a first episode of psychosis had smoked higher-potency cannabis, for longer and with greater frequency\u201d and that the control group supported the \u201chypothesis that THC is the active ingredient increasing risk of psychosis\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Conditions and Disorders Most at Risk<\/b><\/h2>\n

Heavy cannabis use, which includes consuming high potency cannabis products for prolonged periods, can lead to<\/span> cannabis use disorder<\/span><\/a> (CUD). According to Dr. Miller, the research suggests that individuals who have \u201csubstance-induced psychoses\u201d will then \u201ctransition to a diagnosis of schizophrenia\u201d. Therefore, it is important to avoid potency and heavy consumption which could induce psychosis in heavy consumers and those whose genetics or disease predisposes them to be at greater risk for psychotic episodes and disorders. Let\u2019s have a look at persons who may be at an increased risk as well as the preventative measures which can be taken.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When consuming high potency cannabis, or consuming cannabis heavily, in combination with the following, individuals are putting themselves at an increased risk:<\/span><\/p>\n