Study Identifies Link Between High-Potency Cannabis Use and DNA Changes, Psychosis

Learn about the latest research on the biological and mental health implications of frequent high-potency cannabis use.

James MacWilliams prunes a marijuana plant that he is growing indoors in Portland, Maine, on Dec. 13, 2017. Robert F. Bukaty/AP Photo

A recent study has found that frequent use of high-potency cannabis can leave measurable changes to human DNA, raising concerns about the mental health impacts of increasingly available and more potent marijuana products.

Researchers discovered alterations in genes linked to mitochondrial and immune function among regular users of cannabis with concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant, of more than 10 percent, potentially affecting energy metabolism and immune responses.

Adverse Psychological Effects Already Linked to Cannabis

A large number of Americans—about 129 million people—claimed to have used marijuana at some point in their lifetime. As various states pass legalization measures, this number is projected to rise.