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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A large meta-analysis finds cannabis users develop psychosis an average of 2.5 years earlier than nonusers — and the gap widens with age. Among users aged 30 and older, onset was a striking 6.3 years earlier. Researchers say the findings point to a cumulative, lifelong risk that goes well beyond the teenage years.
A sweeping new meta-analysis has found that cannabis users develop psychosis significantly earlier than nonusers — and the older the user, the bigger the gap. Analyzing data from 149 studies involving over 71,000 individuals, researchers found cannabis use was associated with a psychosis onset 2.5 years earlier on average. Crucially, the effect wasn't limited to teens: it grew stronger with age.
"We've tended to focus on the dangers of using cannabis in adolescence, when the brain is still developing, but the risk doesn't disappear once you're in your 20s," said co-author Matthew Large. "What we're seeing suggests a cumulative effect — a bit like alcohol or nicotine."
Why it matters: These findings challenge the assumption that cannabis-related psychiatric risk is mainly a teen problem. If cannabis causally accelerates psychosis across the lifespan, public health messaging may need a significant update — one that warns adults, not just adolescents, about the psychiatric risks of use.
