For families watching loved ones struggle with psychosis or addiction tied to heavy cannabis use, the warning signs can be painfully clear. But new data suggests most Massachusetts residents still do not recognize the potential mental health risks associated with regular marijuana use.A survey published Friday by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission found that widespread gaps in public awareness remain years after the state legalized recreational marijuana. The survey, which questioned more than 11,000 Massachusetts residents between 2019 and 2023, shows many people are unaware that frequent cannabis use can increase the risk of serious psychiatric conditions.One question asked participants whether regular marijuana use can increase the risk of psychosis and schizophrenia. Only 20% answered correctly — that the risk does exist.Doctors who treat young patients say the findings reflect what they see in clinical practice.Dr. Scott Hadland, chief of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Mass General Brigham for Children, treats many patients suffering from serious effects of heavy cannabis use. “The survey found that about one in five people understand that cannabis can lead to psychosis or to schizophrenia, which is something that we see all the time clinically and is something that we really worry a lot about. In recent years, we’ve really seen a rise, particularly among the young people who use cannabis, in the rates with which they develop this syndrome, where they end up in the emergency department or in our clinic with psychosis after having used cannabis,” he said.Hadland said legalization may contribute to the misunderstanding, as many people assume substances that are legal are also harmless. “It’s really important that people understand that cannabis does have all these downstream risks when young people are using it in really heavy amounts. I think that we really need to have broader public health messaging to get this information out to the public,” he said.The Cannabis Control Commission report also calls for broader public education. State law calls for “science-based public awareness campaigns” about the health risks of marijuana use, but lawmakers have not funded such a campaign in recent years.In its latest report, the commission is urging either dedicated funding for public education or a coordinated statewide effort to better inform residents about the potential mental health risks associated with cannabis.
WORCESTER, Mass. —
For families watching loved ones struggle with psychosis or addiction tied to heavy cannabis use, the warning signs can be painfully clear. But new data suggests most Massachusetts residents still do not recognize the potential mental health risks associated with regular marijuana use.
A survey published Friday by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission found that widespread gaps in public awareness remain years after the state legalized recreational marijuana. The survey, which questioned more than 11,000 Massachusetts residents between 2019 and 2023, shows many people are unaware that frequent cannabis use can increase the risk of serious psychiatric conditions.
One question asked participants whether regular marijuana use can increase the risk of psychosis and schizophrenia. Only 20% answered correctly — that the risk does exist.
Doctors who treat young patients say the findings reflect what they see in clinical practice.
Dr. Scott Hadland, chief of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Mass General Brigham for Children, treats many patients suffering from serious effects of heavy cannabis use.
“The survey found that about one in five people understand that cannabis can lead to psychosis or to schizophrenia, which is something that we see all the time clinically and is something that we really worry a lot about. In recent years, we’ve really seen a rise, particularly among the young people who use cannabis, in the rates with which they develop this syndrome, where they end up in the emergency department or in our clinic with psychosis after having used cannabis,” he said.
Hadland said legalization may contribute to the misunderstanding, as many people assume substances that are legal are also harmless.
“It’s really important that people understand that cannabis does have all these downstream risks when young people are using it in really heavy amounts. I think that we really need to have broader public health messaging to get this information out to the public,” he said.
The Cannabis Control Commission report also calls for broader public education. State law calls for “science-based public awareness campaigns” about the health risks of marijuana use, but lawmakers have not funded such a campaign in recent years.
In its latest report, the commission is urging either dedicated funding for public education or a coordinated statewide effort to better inform residents about the potential mental health risks associated with cannabis.