Long term effects of cannabis induced psychosis in adolescents
Location
Center for Advanced Learning and Simulation (CALS)
Publication Date
April 2025
Start Date
17-4-2025 8:00 AM
Description
Background: According to the CDC, cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug by adolescents, whose brains are still developing. This may make them particularly susceptible to cannabis-related neurotoxicity. Individuals who begin using cannabis prior to age 16 are at higher risk of later developing psychiatric disorders than those who start in adulthood (Gage et al., 2016). Some studies show that approximately 25-50% of adolescents with cannabis-induced psychosis disorder (CIPD) go on to develop a chronic psychotic disorder. Objective: To evaluate possible long term effects of cannabis induced psychosis in adolescents Methods: Conducted online search utilizing PubMed and Google Scholar to identify studies published between 2010 and 2025. Search terms included “adolescent cannabis use”, “cannabis induced psychosis”, “long term outcomes SIPD”. Will utilize a narrative synthesis approach given variability in types of studies. Results: High concern for CIPD in adolescents. Overall, cannabis seems to have the highest conversion rate (47%) to schizophrenia or bipolar disorder compared to other SIPD (Karcher et al., 2022). Young age has been found to be a significant predictor for conversion to chronic psychosis. Moreover, in adolescents who experience CIPD who do not go on to have chronic psychosis, there remains an association with lower educational attainment and higher unemployment rates. Conclusion: Adolescents who experience CIPD should be closely monitored given the elevated risk for chronic psychosis as well as possible negative impacts on long term achievement. There are multiple factors which may lead to increased risk for long term effects of CIPD in adolescents, including the vulnerability of the developing brain as well as the ongoing increase in potency of cannabis. Given the increased legalization and accessibility of cannabis, informed policy interventions and further research are needed.
Recommended Citation
Teachout, Hailey; Castor, Dylan; and Nguyen, Tina, "Long term effects of cannabis induced psychosis in adolescents" (2025). Dept. of Psychiatry Research Symposium. 20.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/psych_rd/2025/presentations/20
Long term effects of cannabis induced psychosis in adolescents
Center for Advanced Learning and Simulation (CALS)
Background: According to the CDC, cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug by adolescents, whose brains are still developing. This may make them particularly susceptible to cannabis-related neurotoxicity. Individuals who begin using cannabis prior to age 16 are at higher risk of later developing psychiatric disorders than those who start in adulthood (Gage et al., 2016). Some studies show that approximately 25-50% of adolescents with cannabis-induced psychosis disorder (CIPD) go on to develop a chronic psychotic disorder. Objective: To evaluate possible long term effects of cannabis induced psychosis in adolescents Methods: Conducted online search utilizing PubMed and Google Scholar to identify studies published between 2010 and 2025. Search terms included “adolescent cannabis use”, “cannabis induced psychosis”, “long term outcomes SIPD”. Will utilize a narrative synthesis approach given variability in types of studies. Results: High concern for CIPD in adolescents. Overall, cannabis seems to have the highest conversion rate (47%) to schizophrenia or bipolar disorder compared to other SIPD (Karcher et al., 2022). Young age has been found to be a significant predictor for conversion to chronic psychosis. Moreover, in adolescents who experience CIPD who do not go on to have chronic psychosis, there remains an association with lower educational attainment and higher unemployment rates. Conclusion: Adolescents who experience CIPD should be closely monitored given the elevated risk for chronic psychosis as well as possible negative impacts on long term achievement. There are multiple factors which may lead to increased risk for long term effects of CIPD in adolescents, including the vulnerability of the developing brain as well as the ongoing increase in potency of cannabis. Given the increased legalization and accessibility of cannabis, informed policy interventions and further research are needed.