Cannabis use leads to spike in mental illness in US

Teenagers and young adults in the United States are at risk of developing a psychotic disorder or schizophrenia after using cannabis, say doctors, researchers and a government agency, as thousands of cases among teenagers have been diagnosed.

The number of people diagnosed with a mental health or psychotic disorder after smoking cannabis was 50 percent higher in November than it was four years ago, Truveta, a healthcare analytics company, said.

However, the drug remains popular nationwide, with about 52 million people admitting using it at some time in 2021, federal data showed.