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A new study published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry suggests that the risk of developing psychotic disorders in cannabis users decreases with time after they stop using the drug. The research, conducted by scientists at King’s College London, found that it takes about 37 weeks of cannabis abstinence for a user’s risk of developing psychosis to recede to the same levels of those who had never used it.
There is already extensive research showing a link between cannabis use and an increased risk of psychosis, poor mental health, and sleep problems. This new study specifically investigates whether this risk changes over time for people who quit cannabis.
Study details
Researchers examined data from the EU-GEI case-control study, a large-scale investigation involving first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients and healthy controls across Europe and South America. They compared the cannabis use patterns of 875 FEP patients with 1,230 participants without psychosis.
The researchers analyzed seven aspects of cannabis use:
- Lifetime use
- Current use
- Age at first use
- Duration of use
- Frequency of use
- Potency of cannabis used
- Time since quitting cannabis use (in weeks)
Reduced risk after quitting cannabis
The study found that the risk of psychosis declines after people stop using cannabis. The longer someone abstained, the lower their risk became.
- People who had quit cannabis very recently (between one and four weeks) had a nearly seven-fold increased risk of psychosis compared to those who had never used it. This suggests that quitting cannabis use can sometimes trigger psychosis as part of withdrawal symptoms.
- After five to twelve weeks of abstinence, the risk of psychosis dropped to three times higher than those who had never used cannabis.
- Importantly, for people who had quit cannabis for at least 37 weeks, there was no significant difference in psychosis risk compared to those who had never used the drug.
Importance of the findings
“Our study is the first to examine whether the risk of a psychotic disorder goes down if a person ceases cannabis use,” says Dr. Isabelle Austin-Zimmerman, a researcher at King’s College London and co-author of the study. “As cannabis legalization continues to spread, so too will the number of people using the drug. Our study provides important evidence that quitting cannabis use is associated with a decreased risk of psychosis.”
Residual risk for some users
The study also found that the reduced risk of psychosis after quitting cannabis depended on the person’s cannabis use patterns.
- Daily cannabis users and those who used high-potency strains remained at an increased risk of psychosis even after they stopped using, at least within the timeframe studied.
“Developing psychosis can have a devastating impact on a person’s life,” says Professor Marta Di Forti, another co-author of the study. “Our findings highlight the importance of supporting people, particularly those who use cannabis heavily, when they decide to quit. Abruptly stopping cannabis use could actually trigger psychosis in some people, potentially due to worsening sleep or anxiety. Our next step is to replicate these findings in a longitudinal study.”
Overall, this study provides encouraging evidence that the risk of psychosis associated with cannabis use can be reduced by quitting the drug. However, it is important to note that some people, particularly those with heavy cannabis use patterns, may still be at an increased risk.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult with a healthcare professional for personalized guidance.
