THE INFLUENCE OF CANNABIS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA - A REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.1(49).2026.4857Keywords:
Schizophrenia, Cannabis, THC, Psychosis, Genetic Predisposition, Environmental Risk Factors, Adolescence, Dose-Dependent EffectAbstract
Background: Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Cannabis use, particularly products with high tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content, has been identified as a potential environmental risk factor for psychosis.
Aim: This review aims to summarize current knowledge on the epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, and risk factors of schizophrenia, with a particular focus on the impact of marijuana use on the development of psychotic symptoms.
Methods: A narrative synthesis of epidemiological, genetic, neurobiological, and clinical studies was conducted, including analyses of cannabis use, THC potency, and age of first exposure.
Results: Evidence indicates strong familial aggregation of schizophrenia and sex-related differences in the age of onset. Genetic studies highlight polygenic susceptibility, dopaminergic and glutamatergic dysregulation, and the impact of prenatal and early-life exposures. High-THC cannabis use, especially during adolescence, is associated with increased risk of psychotic symptoms, earlier onset, and more severe disease progression. Rising THC concentrations and increasing cannabis consumption pose significant public health challenges.
Conclusions: Understanding the dose-dependent effects of cannabis on schizophrenia is critical for prevention strategies and public health policy, particularly in the context of increasing legalization and product potency.
References
Tandon, R., et al. (2013). Definition and description of schizophrenia in the DSM-5. Schizophrenia Research, 150(1), 3–10.
Lewine, R., & Hart, M. (2020). Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 175, 315–333.
Gaebel, W., & Zielasek, J. (2015). Schizophrenia in 2020: Trends in diagnosis and therapy. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 69(11), 661–673.
Biedermann, F., & Fleischhacker, W. W. (2016). Psychotic disorders in DSM-5 and ICD-11. CNS Spectrums, 21(4), 349–354.
Crawford, P., & Go, K. V. (2022). Schizophrenia. American Family Physician, 106(4), 388–396.
Bromet, E. J., & Fennig, S. (1999). Epidemiology and natural history of schizophrenia. Biological Psychiatry, 46(7), 871–881.
Gupta, R., Assalman, I., & Bottlender, R. (2012). Menopause and schizophrenia. Menopause International, 18(1), 10–14.
Remschmidt, H., & Theisen, F. (2012). Early-onset schizophrenia. Neuropsychobiology, 66(1), 63–69.
Barkin, R. L., & Barkin, S. (2012). The epidemiology and diagnosis of schizophrenia and the therapeutic options, communication, and collaborative case plan. Disease-a-Month, 58(7), 394–394.
Wahbeh, M. H., & Avramopoulos, D. (2021). Gene-environment interactions in schizophrenia: A literature review. Genes, 12(12), 1850.
Hermanas, F. I. D. M. A. G., Red de Salud Mental, & Spain PJ Madrid. (2022). Sameer Jauhar, Mandy Johnstone, Peter J. McKenna. Lancet, 399, 473–486.
Richetto, J., & Meyer, U. (2021). Epigenetic modifications in schizophrenia and related disorders: Molecular scars of environmental exposures and source of phenotypic variability. Biological Psychiatry, 89(3), 215–226.
Urits, I., et al. (2020). Cannabis use and its association with psychological disorders. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 50(2), 56.
Carvalho, C., & Vieira-Coelho, M. A. (2022). Cannabis induced psychosis: A systematic review on the role of genetic polymorphisms. Pharmacological Research, 181, 106258.
Türkoğlu, Ö., & Ertuğrul, A. (2023). The role of cannabis in the development of psychosis. Turkish Journal of Psychiatry, 35(3), 234.
Cheng, W., et al. (2023). The relationship between cannabis use, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder: A genetically informed study. The Lancet Psychiatry, 10(6), 441–451.
Hjorthøj, C., et al. (2023). Association between cannabis use disorder and schizophrenia stronger in young males than in females. Psychological Medicine, 53(15), 7322–7328.
Casadio, P., et al. (2011). Cannabis use in young people: The risk for schizophrenia. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 35(8), 1779–1787.
Chester, L. A., et al. (2023). Influence of cannabis use on incidence of psychosis in people at clinical high risk. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 77(9), 469–477.
Urits, I., et al. (2020). Cannabis use and its association with psychological disorders. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 50(2), 56.
Dahlen, A., et al. (2021). THC-induced behavioral stereotypy in zebrafish as a model of psychosis-like behavior. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 15693.
Stilo, S. A., & Murray, R. M. (2019). Non-genetic factors in schizophrenia. Current Psychiatry Reports, 21(10), 100.
Türkoğlu, Ö., & Ertuğrul, A. (2023). The role of cannabis in the development of psychosis. Turkish Journal of Psychiatry, 35(3), 234.
Rittiphairoj, T., et al. (2025). High-concentration delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol cannabis products and mental health outcomes: A systematic review. Annals of Internal Medicine, 178(10), 1429–1440.
Marconi, A., et al. (2016). Meta-analysis of the association between the level of cannabis use and risk of psychosis. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 42(5), 1262–1269.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Artur Hawajski, Weronika Mielnicka, Jan Nowak, Stella Mieruszyńska, Julia Sławińska, Olga Szeidl, Maja Kołodziejska, Marcin Lewandowski, Anna Cupiał, Jagoda Mikołajczyk
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles are published in open-access and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Hence, authors retain copyright to the content of the articles.
CC BY 4.0 License allows content to be copied, adapted, displayed, distributed, re-published or otherwise re-used for any purpose including for adaptation and commercial use provided the content is attributed.
How to Cite
