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Many studies have been conducted on the role of cannabis use in psychosis, but much less attention has been paid to whether cannabis use is badociated with an increased risk of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.
The research, conducted by experts from McGill University and Oxford University, provided a systematic badysis and meta-badysis of the best existing evidence. It also badyzed 23,317 individuals (from 11 international studies) to determine whether cannabis use was badociated with depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies in early adulthood.
The authors of the study found that cannabis use among adolescents was badociated with a significant increase in the risk of depression and suicidal tendencies in adults. Although the individual risk was considered modest, the widespread use of this drug by young people greatly aggravates the magnitude of the risk.
Dr. Gabriella Gobbi, one of the authors of the study, said: "Although the link between cannabis and mood regulation has been widely studied in preclinical studies, there was still a gap in clinical studies concerning the systematic evaluation of the link. between cannabis use among adolescents and the risk of depression and suicidal behavior in young adults. This study was designed to fill this gap by helping mental health professionals and parents better deal with this problem. "
Professor Andrea Cipriani, another author, added that they have looked into the effects of cannabis because its use in young people is very common. However, he said the importance of the study lies in the fact that the long-term effects of cannabis are still poorly understood.
"We have carefully selected the best studies conducted since 1993 and have included only methodologically valid studies to rule out important confounding factors, such as premorbid depression," he said, adding, " Our findings on depression are very relevant to clinical practice and public health. . Although the magnitude of the negative effects of cannabis may vary from one adolescent to the next and it is impossible to predict the exact risk for each adolescent, the widespread use of cannabis among younger generations makes it an important public health problem ".
The active ingredient in cannabis, THC, alleviates most of the psychoactive and mood-related effects of cannabis, as well as addictive properties. It is thought that cannabis may alter the physiological neurological development (frontal cortex and limbic system) of the adolescent brain.
Although the review of observational studies was the first to examine the effects of cannabis use in adolescents alone, it was not possible to predict individual risk or to discern information about dose-related risk of cannabis use. .
First published: February 14, 2019 18:33 IST
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