The growing trend of marijuana legalization across the US has led many people to assume that the drug is harmless. Marijuana has been praised for its medicinal properties, which have been said to treat anything from Nausea to Cancer. New cultivation techniques and delivery methods, including vape e-liquid, waxes, shatter, tinctures, and edibles, have produced products that are significantly more potent than previous strains. These new products contain higher quantities of marijuana’s primary active ingredient, Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. In the 1980’s marijuana “flower,” or the green plant matter that is traditionally smoked, contained around 2% THC, current reports place the THC content of some strains of marijuana at between 17-28% THC. Like any other mind-altering substance, different people react differently to THC. One of the most severe reactions to Marijuana use is THC-Induced Psychosis.
Psychosis is a mental health condition in which a person loses their grasp on reality. Symptoms of psychosis often include auditory and visual hallucinations as well as delusions. Psychosis is not a mental illness in and of itself but commonly occurs as a symptom of another disorder like Schizophrenia. Using drugs and alcohol can cause a person to experience psychosis. Substance abuse can also trigger dormant mental health issues or worsen existing conditions. While people might associate psychosis with “harder” drugs like methamphetamines or LSD, chronic marijuana usage can also cause a person to experience psychosis. For most people, the effects of marijuana will wear off after a few hours. However, the impact of THC Psychosis may last for days, weeks, or even months after the last dosage.