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Elle Verhey
HALLUCINATIONS, paranoia, social withdrawal and anxiety are all common symptoms of the awful and terrifying mental illness, schizophrenia. Schizophrenia has a devastating affect on people lives, not only those affected by the illness but also those of the people close to them. It distances the sufferer from the outside world and leaves them feeling alone and isolated. Schizophrenia makes it difficult for the sufferer to decipher their thoughts and senses. Unfortunately, the medical community is still in doubt over the exact cause of schizophrenia and worse still has no definite cure. The use of cannabis is commonly linked as a trigger to this frightening mental illness. In Anne Deveson’s novel, “Tell Me I’m Here” – based on the true story of a mother struggling to cope with her son’s slow deterioration from schizophrenia – marijuana use is mentioned as a possible cause of the illness.

Affecting 1.1% of the world’s population, including 285,000 Australians, schizophrenia is the most severe mental illness in the world today. 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with schizophrenia this year alone and, consequently, 10% of those will commit suicide. Schizophrenia is most likely to occur between the ages of 17-35 years, with the onset earlier in men than women. 8-13% of all schizophrenics are linked to cannabis use during their teens.

The use of cannabis while the brain is still developing (especially in adolescence) is believed to increase the amounts of dopamine in the brain, leading to a higher risk of developing schizophrenia. It has also been proven that the younger the cannabis user is, the more likely they are to become schizophrenic and the worse the schizophrenia will be. An intense user of cannabis in their teens is 6 times more likely to develop schizophrenia over the next 15 years than those who don’t use cannabis at all. Anyone with a family history of mental illness should avoid cannabis use at all...