A medical study released on Monday (11) warned that the potency of marijuana in Canada has been in the last 20 years, indicating the increased risk of psychosis among users, especially for young men.
The study by Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) indicated that tetrahydrocanabinol (THC) content, cannabis’s psychoactive element, in most legal marijuana in Canada is now 20%, while at the beginning of the century it was 4%.
Researchers also explained that high -power users, that is, with more than 10% THC, and that they frequently consume it have a risk of 0.47% of developing psychosis – with increased risk for those with mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety.
Data from the province of Ontario, the most populous in the country, indicate that those looking for emergency services due to cannabis consumption have a 14.3 times higher risk of developing a schizophrenic spectrum disorder for the next three years; In the case of cannabis -induced psychosis visits, the risk is 241.6 times higher.
The study concluded that second -generation antipsychotic drugs may be effective in relieving effects on patients with more severe and persistent symptoms.
In 2018, Canada became the first G7 and G20 country to legalize the recreational use of Cannabis for over 18 years. Currently 70% of marijuana consumed in the country comes from legal sources.
Since legalization, the cannabis sector has contributed US $ 31.6 billion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to Deloitte. Between 2018 and 2021, the Canadian authorities raised US $ 15.1 billion in taxes and the sector supported 98,000 direct and indirect jobs.
