"In early February, Canadian researchers reported that rates of severe mental illness among young people have risen alongside increased access to high-potency cannabis (Callaghan, et al., 2022). Around the same time, a new book, A Killing in Cannabis (Kohn, 2024), revisited a 2019 California murder and highlighted how violence tied to the marijuana trade has persisted even after legalization. On February 9, 2024, an opinion piece from the New York Times editorial board"
"Cannabis has seen significant changes in terms of potency over the last two decades. The average level of THC in cannabis has increased greatly since the 1990s (ElSohly et al., 2016). Highly concentrated THC extracts sold in legal markets, such as vape cartridges, can be found at near-pure levels. Such products are growing in popularity because they are discreet and relatively easy to manufacture."
Rates of severe mental illness among young people have risen alongside increased access to high-potency cannabis. Violence tied to the marijuana trade has persisted even after legalization. The average THC level in cannabis has increased greatly since the 1990s, and highly concentrated THC extracts sold in legal markets can be found at near-pure levels. These concentrated products are growing in popularity because they are discreet and relatively easy to manufacture. Higher potency cannabis use is associated with increased odds of developing psychotic disorders and adolescents who use cannabis face elevated risk of later psychotic symptoms. THC affects brain dopamine circuits, providing a plausible biological mechanism.
Read at Psychology Today
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