Those who take drug because of pain, anxiety or depression found to be more likely to develop paranoia than recreational smokers
People who start smoking cannabis to alleviate pain, anxiety or depression are at a higher risk of developing paranoia than those who use the drug recreationally, a study has found.
The research analysed answers from 3,389 former and current cannabis users aged over 18, who had no clinical history of psychosis and had taken part in the Cannabis&Me survey.
Published in the British Medical Journal and led by academics at King’s College London, the research found that those who started using cannabis to self-medicate for a condition such as pain, anxiety or depression, and if they were experiencing minor psychotic symptoms, had higher paranoia scores, while those with the lowest scores used cannabis for fun or because they were curious.
The survey also found that the average respondent consumed 206 units a week of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis, the equivalent of between 10 and 17 joints, but people who used cannabis for anxiety or depression reported consuming 248 and 254.7 units respectively.
