Studies show marijuana use to cope with stress or trauma may worsen paranoia and mental health risks.
Two new studies have found that marijuana use to manage stress or trauma may increase paranoia and other mental health struggles, raising concerns as legalization expands.
The first study, published in BMJ Mental Health, tracked more than 3,000 cannabis users and found those who began using marijuana to deal with pain, anxiety or depression were far more likely to develop paranoia than those who tried it out of curiosity or for fun. Researchers noted today’s cannabis strains often contain up to 30% THC, compared to about 1% in the 1970s.
A second study in Psychological Medicine showed that people with childhood trauma experienced worse paranoia when using marijuana. “This study further spotlights that youth cannabis use can be destructive to developing brains,” said Riana Durrett of the UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute.
Experts urged caution, warning that self-medicating with cannabis could backfire, especially for vulnerable groups.