Your Genes and Cannabis

So far, 37 states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes, while 19 states and the  District of Columbia have also legalized its recreational use.  But recent reports show up to one-third of cannabis users get Canabis Use Disorder or CanUD, that’s cannabis addiction or using cannabis in a way that damages their health.   

Now a new study that looked at 1 million genomes has found regions of our DNA that appear linked to cannabis addiction and even schizophrenia and lung cancer. Researchers used large medical datasets that include US veterans, mostly people of European descent but also some African, East Asian, and mixed ancestries.  

The genes involved in the disorder were in regions close to the brain’s reward system involved in addiction. The same areas are linked to cigarette smoking, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, and lung cancer. The study also affirmed a stronger link between CanUD and schizophrenia. The data suggests that cannabis use “is the most preventable risk factor” for the development of schizophrenia.  Yet a National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that cannabis use jumped to seventeen percent from eleven percent in twenty-twenty-two and growing.  

It serves as a warning that just like food, drugs and chemicals we ingest or are exposed to affect our health. People must understand the consequences before deciding to imbibe. 

We are Drs. David Niesel and Norbert Herzog, at UTMB and Quinnipiac University, where biomedical discoveries shape the future of medicine.   For much more and our disclaimer go to medicaldiscoverynews.com or subscribe to our podcast. Sign up for expanded print episodes at www.illuminascicom.com or our podcasts at:  Medical Discovery News (buzzsprout.com)