General Article Cannabis and schizophrenia

Topic Selected: Drugs
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We’ve undertaken a survey that has revealed that more than one in three (35%) of 25- to 34-year-olds agree or strongly agree with the statement ‘experimenting with cannabis is a normal part of growing up’.

45% failed to link smoking cannabis over a sustained period of time to schizophrenia.

The poll also showed that those aged 18–24 have less liberal views on cannabis than the 25–34 age bracket, with just 24% agreeing with the same statement.

Cannabis facts

Cannabis can be a confusing subject – some people seem to use it without getting mental health problems. So what are the facts?

If you use it when young:

International studies have found that cannabis use doubles or triples the chances of developing psychosis if you smoke when you’re under 18. The more you use, the greater the risk – in two studies, those who had used cannabis more than 50 times had six times the usual risk of developing schizophrenia. Most recently, a 2011 study commissioned by the German Government found ...

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