A multi-site study found associations between cannabis use and psychotic disorders in Global South settings, expanding evidence beyond predominantly Western research.
Global mental health researchers, psychiatrists, cannabis policymakers, and international public health organizations.
Global South evidenceCannabis-psychosis association confirmed across Latin American, Asian, and African settings
What the researchers found
The INTREPID II study found associations between cannabis use and psychotic disorders in diverse Global South settings, demonstrating that the cannabis-psychosis link is not limited to Western populations and cultural contexts.
Why it matters
Most cannabis-psychosis research comes from Europe and North America. Confirming this association in Latin American, Asian, and African contexts strengthens the global evidence base and informs region-specific policies.
The numbers in context
Case-control study conducted across three Global South settings spanning Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
How the study worked
Case-control study across multiple Global South sites examining cannabis use patterns in people with and without psychotic disorders.
Who was studied
People with and without psychotic disorders across three Global South settings in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-cultural variation in cannabis potency, use patterns, and psychosis diagnosis; case-control design cannot establish causation; potential confounders vary by region.
How to read the evidence
Multi-site case-control design provides moderate evidence; cross-cultural replication strengthens findings.
When this study was published
Recent international study expanding the geographical evidence base.
The bigger picture
This study challenges the assumption that cannabis-psychosis associations are specific to Western contexts, suggesting universal neurobiological vulnerability that transcends cultural and genetic diversity.
Replication
Extends primarily Western findings to diverse global populations; part of the larger INTREPID research program.
Funding
Not specified
Conflicts of interest
Not specified
Questions still open
- How do cannabis potency and use patterns differ across Global South settings?
- Are there protective cultural factors in some regions?
- How does cannabis policy differ in these contexts?
Read the original research
Cannabis use and psychotic disorders in diverse settings in the Global South: findings from INTREPID II.
Psychological medicine, 53(15), 7062-7069
Citation
Lee Pow, Joni; Donald, Casswina; di Forti, Marta; Roberts, Tessa; Weiss, Helen A; Ayinde, Olatunde; John, Sujit; Olley, Bola; Ojagbemi, Akin; Esponda, Georgina Miguel; Lam, Joseph; Poornachandrika, Paramasivam; Dazzan, Paola; Gaughran, Fiona; Kannan, Palaniyandi Ponnusamy; Sudhakar, Selvaraju; Burns, Jonathan; Chiliza, Bonginkosi; Cohen, Alex; Gureje, Oye; Thara, Rangaswamy; Murray, Robin M; Morgan, Craig; Hutchinson, Gerard. (2023). Cannabis use and psychotic disorders in diverse settings in the Global South: findings from INTREPID II.. Psychological medicine, 53(15), 7062-7069. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291723000399