Cannabis Psychosis Is More Common in Men than Women

Psychosis, described by the medical community as a break from reality resulting from faulty brain activity, sometimes affects cannabis users. In extreme cases, people experiencing cannabis-induced psychosis display thought disorder and personality changes. 

Interestingly, a new study authored by researchers at the University of York in the UK and published in the Journal of Advances in Dual Diagnosis argues that cannabis psychosis is more common in men than it is in women.

Thus, the scientists say that, having analyzed 11 years' worth on data on how cannabis users can sometimes progress to cannabis psychosis, they found the condition to be four times more common in male than in female users.

“When it comes to cannabis psychosis gender does matter,” University of York specialist Ian Hamilton commented on these findings in an interview, as cited by EurekAlert.

At least for now, the researchers cannot say why it is that cannabis psychosis seems to affect men more than it does women. One possible explanation is that this is because, according to recent figures, more men than women use the drug.

Then again, it could also be that cannabis psychosis is more often diagnosed as such in male users than it is in female users. As Ian Hamilton put it, “Is possible that women with cannabis psychosis are not being identified and offered treatment.”