New data from the largest systematic review of medicinal cannabis in psychiatry reveals a substantial safety concern: patients using cannabis experienced adverse events at rates 75% higher than those receiving placebo treatment. This translates to approximately 1 in 7 cannabis users experiencing measurable side effects, according to the analysis published in The Lancet Psychiatry.
The systematic review examined 54 randomized controlled trials with 2,477 total participants across nine psychiatric conditions. Despite widespread use—27% of adults aged 16–65 in the US and Canada report medical cannabis use for mental health reasons—the risk-benefit profile remains unclear for most conditions. The elevated adverse event rate underscores the importance of informed consent and careful risk assessment when considering cannabis-based interventions in psychiatric practice.
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