Cannabis use disorder is associated with higher risk of schizophrenia for all demographics, but the connection is strongest for men aged 21-30, according to an NIH study published May 4 in Psychological Medicine.
As many as 30 percent of schizophrenia cases among men in that age group might have been prevented by preventing cannabis use disorder, the study said. Fifteen percent of schizophrenia cases among men aged 16-49 might have similarly been avoided, as well as about 4 percent among women aged 16-49.
Findings suggested the percentage of new schizophrenia cases attributable to cannabis use disorder has risen steadily over the past 50 years — a phenomenon likely related to rising cannabis potencies and growing prevalence of diagnosed cannabis use disorder.
The study analyzed 50 years of health records representing more than 6 million people in Denmark.