Despite what non-scientific anecdotes proponents feel about the drug while they’re on it, cannabis is linked to a poor mental health outcomes.

A new study published in Psychological Medicine, researchers from University of Birmingham found a strong link between cannabis use and ill mental health. Utilizing data from the IQVIA Medical Research Database, which included 787 general medical practices in the UK between 1995 to 2018, the studiers match 28,217 patient with exposure to cannabis to 56,208 patients who have not while controlling for sex, age, ethnicity and other variables.

The studies found that cannabis use was strongly linked to mental health disorders. Specifically, cannabis users were 3x more likely to develop depression and anxiety problems. In addition, cannabis use was also associated with 7x more the development of severe mental illness such as that of psychosis and schizophrenia. Cannabis use was also linked to use many other drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and amphetamine.

There are better and more sound ways to enjoy yourself in life than giving yourself mental illness through marijuana misuse.

D Keerthy et al. Associations between primary care recorded cannabis use and mental ill health in the UK: a population-based retrospective cohort study using UK primary care data. Psychological Medicine. Published online 10/1/21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S003329172100386X