"In the 1990s the use of cannabis increased much among young people so that it is now becoming more common than tobacco smoking in some countries.1-2 The ready availability of the drug, the increasing social disapproval of cigarette smoking, stern drink driving laws, and perceptions that cannabis is safe or less harmful than cigarettes or alcohol may explain these changes. The increase in use is of concern because cannabis may be a gateway to other drugs,3 and it may cause psychiatric illnesses. The link between cannabis and psychosis is well established, and recent studies have found a link between use of marijuana and depression."
There's a causal relationship between pot and schizophrenia. Sorry if that ruins your buzz.
You didn't answer my question:
"Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the most common co-occurring disorder in people with schizophrenia."
Co-Occurring Alcohol Use Disorder and Schizophrenia
Robert E. Drake, M.D., Ph.D., and Kim T. Mueser, Ph.D.
Alcohol Research and Health, Volume 26, Number 2, 2002
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh26-2/99-102.pdf
Shall we ban alcohol, too?
"The link between cannabis and psychosis is well established"
Bunk. The first of the citations for this claim says quite differently:
"While this study provides some of the strongest evidence for a link between cannabis and psychosis, methodological concerns have been raised. These include the temporal gap between self-reported cannabis use at conscription and later schizophrenia, the potential confounding role of other substance use (particularly as amphetamines were a major drug of abuse during the study period), the adequacy of psychological assessment at conscription, and the reliability of self-reported drug use at conscription. [...]
"A number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain the prevalence of cannabis use in schizophrenia. Apart from the causation/precipitation role, it has been suggested that cannabis is used as self-medication for psychotic or dysphoric symptoms, or to ameliorate the side effects of antipsychotic drugs. Alternatively, the relationship may reflect the common peaks of onset of schizophrenia and cannabis use (particularly as prevalence samples are seldom compared with age- or sex-matched general population controls), or the role of underlying factors such as demographic differences."
These studies really don't tell us much. So people with mental disorders are more likely to use rec. drugs. Gee, I'm shocked. People abusive alcoholic fathers are more likely to be problem drinkers. Eating fast food may cause obesity. You know some things don't deserve a research grant.