Understanding Cannabis-Induced Psychosis: A Case Study of Rare but Severe Consequences

Explore the alarming case of Bryn Spejcher, whose first-time use of marijuana resulted in a psychotic episode leading to a violent act. Uncover the risks of cannabis-induced psychosis and its implications.

Experts describe this as a rare but more regular adverse effect of recreational marijuana usage. Bryn Spejcher, a 33-year-old who stabbed a guy she was dating more than 100 times during a psychotic episode brought attention to the issue on a national level with her recent imprisonment.

In 2018, Spejcher—a first-time marijuana user—started experiencing hallucinations and a coughing fit while smoking from the bong of 26-year-old Chad O’Melia. She claimed that just as she was about to pass away, she heard paramedics rushing to save her, and the voices informed her that in order to resurrect herself, she would need to kill O’Melia.

Before slashing her own neck, Spejcher stabbed him 108 times with two huge knives. Apart from THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, blood testing revealed no other intoxicating chemicals in her system, and she had no past history of mental illness, aggression, or suicide thoughts.

Because of the overwhelming evidence of cannabis-induced psychosis, Spejcher’s murder accusation was dropped in favor of involuntary manslaughter when the medical expert for the prosecution concurred with the defense’s specialists regarding her fit. She received a sentence this week that included two years of probation (i.e., no jail time) and one hundred hours of community service aimed at educating people about the risks of cannabis-induced psychosis.

Experts claim that in recent years, they have treated an increasing number of patients—especially teenagers and young adults—who had psychosis brought on by cannabis. They point the finger at a more competitive market forcing vendors to up the potency of their goods, partly as a result of increased availability of the substance as it becomes lawful in more states.

Professor of psychiatry at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto and senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Dr. Tony George, said, “Fortunately, these kinds of terrible outcomes like this case don’t happen very often, but we’re seeing more of it over time.” “This will not be resolved anytime soon. We are limited to raising the alarm.

What is cannabis-induced psychosis?

Psychosis brought on by smoking or ingesting marijuana within minutes, hours, or days is known as cannabis-induced psychotic illness. The DSM-5, a list of mental diseases used by medical professionals to diagnose patients, includes the disorder.

According to Dr. Sharon Levy, head of Boston Children’s Hospital’s addiction medicine division, psychosis is a combination of symptoms that make it difficult to tell what is real from phony, or a “disconnection from reality.”

The National Institute of Mental Health states that while sleep deprivation, prescription pharmaceuticals, alcohol, narcotics like cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, amphetamines, and cannabis, as well as prescription medications, can all contribute to psychosis, it is most commonly linked to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression.

Regardless of the underlying reason, delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there) are the most prevalent symptoms of psychosis. Other symptoms include anxiety, restlessness, disorientation, strange or excessively intense ideas, paranoia, and difficulty speaking. Even while certain symptoms of psychosis are similar to those of being “high,” Levy said it’s crucial to distinguish psychotic symptoms from a normal drug-induced experience based on how severe they are.

Cannabis-induced psychotic episodes rarely result in violent episodes in most of the patients, but Levy said that “their behavior does become unpredictable because they’re responding to internal stimuli that people around them aren’t aware of.” “That’s where things can get risky because you never know what someone is going to do.”

Examining Specjher for the prosecution was clinical and forensic psychologist Kris Mohandie, who frequently consults with law enforcement. He stated in his testimony that he has provided consultation on “at least half a dozen cases throughout the years” involving violent episodes that may have been caused by cannabis-induced psychosis.

According to George, there is a higher likelihood of aggressive psychotic behavior when using drugs like cocaine or crystal meth.

What increases risks of cannabis-induced psychosis?

According to research, your risk of cannabis-induced psychosis will grow the more frequently you smoke or ingest cannabis, the more you use, and the more potent the products are.

According to a 2019 study that was published in The Lancet Psychiatry, adult daily cannabis users had 3.2 times higher odds of psychosis than people who had never used the substance, and those who used high-potency cannabis on a daily basis had nearly 5 times higher odds.

It also depends what age a person begins using cannabis. According to research, those who start using the substance at age 15 or younger have a higher risk of developing psychosis and a higher likelihood of doing so sooner than those who start later in life.

Age is a significant factor when it comes to cannabis use. Studies have indicated that those who start using the substance when they are 15 years old or younger have a higher risk of developing psychosis and that they will do so sooner than those who start later in life.

In the early 1990s, the average amount of THC found in marijuana samples that were seized was less than 4%. According to George, it can now exceed 15%, which means that even lower doses of marijuana now come with a larger chance of adverse effects.

In the early 1990s, the average amount of THC found in marijuana samples that were seized was less than 4%. According to George, it can now exceed 15%, which means that even lower doses of marijuana now come with a larger chance of adverse effects.

Psychosis brought on by cannabis is a chronic condition.

“Temporarily poisoning the neural circuits in the brain that help people distinguish between things happening on the inside and outside,” according to Levy, is how THC works. Because of this, it’s typical to feel both euphoric and paranoid when high on marijuana until the body metabolizes the THC. Psychotic disorder risk can be increased in individuals who are genetically or environmentally predisposed, use particularly strong cannabis, or have some other magic combo that causes their circuits to be too damaged to heal.

The brain’s neuronal pathways that aid in separating what is happening on the inside from the outside are momentarily poisoned by THC, according to Levy. Because of this, when high on marijuana, it’s typical to feel both euphoric and paranoid until the body metabolizes the THC. The likelihood of developing a psychotic condition can be increased in those who are genetically or environmentally predisposed, use extremely strong cannabis, or have some other special combination that has damaged their circuits too much for them to heal.

Levy stated, “We need to keep these numbers in the back of our minds when we think about regulating cannabis.” “These incidents are probably fairly frequent; we just don’t keep an eye out for them.” Furthermore, a lot is at stake in this situation, according to what [studies] tell us.

“These figures must be kept in the back of our minds when considering cannabis regulation,” Levy stated. We just don’t monitor for these occurrences, which makes them potentially quite prevalent. And there’s a lot at stake here, according to what [studies] tell us.

Conclusion

Bryn Spejcher’s case serves as a poignant reminder of the potential dangers of cannabis-induced psychosis, shedding light on the need for greater awareness and education surrounding marijuana use. As cases rise, addressing this issue becomes imperative for public health and regulatory measures.