Episode #47 High Truths on Drugs and Addiction with Dr. Christine Miller on Marijuana Induced Psychosis and Suicide

Is Marijuana use associated with psychosis and schizophrenia or does marijuana actually causes schizophrenia? What about Suicide? Dr. Christine Miller has meticulously studied the medical literature and the Bradford Hill criteria. The Bradford Hill criteria is the standard used to prove causation. This methodology was used to prove tobacco smoking causes various health effects. This interview was recorded November, 2020.

Christine L. Miller, Ph.D.

Christine L. Miller received her B.S. degree in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the Neuroscience Training Program at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Her academic career with the University of Michigan and Johns Hopkins University, was devoted to researching neurobiological mechanisms that underlie psychotic disorders. Now retired from academia, she volunteers her time as a science advisor for Smart Approaches to Marijuana www.learnaboutsam.org and Moms Strong www.momsstrong.org, educating the general public and legislators about the causal link between marijuana use and serious mental health impacts, including psychosis and suicide. Dr. Miller has continued to author scientific papers and reviews, most recently book chapters entitled “The Impacts of Marijuana on Mental Health”, published by Oxford University Press in 2018 and “Marijuana and Suicide: Case-control Studies, Population Data, and Potential Neurochemical Mechanisms”, published by Springer Press in 2020.

Dr. Miller reviewed the Bradford-Hill Criteria for epidemiological causation verses association as it related to marijuana and psychosis.

1. A strong association
2. A dose-response relationship
3. Timing of the association
4. Administration of THC in the clinic
5. Drug-seeking behavior risk does not seem to explain the impact
6. Quitting the habit resolves psychosis (in 50%)
7. Plausible biological mechanism

You can find more details on the Bradford Hills Criteria on the IASIC website library under Psychosis, the International Academy on the Science and Impact of Cannabis.

Dr. Miller’s Marijuana Psychosis Facts:

• 5x risk chronic psychotic disorder for heavy marijuana users
• 7 x increase risk suicide attempt in Caucasians who begin using in teens
• Recovery of a psychotic break from marijuana occurs 50% of the time compared to recovery other drugs 70% – 95% recovery
• Risk of violence in any drug induced psychosis is 9-fold increase compared to those with psychosis has nothing to do with drugs
  • Violence risk is 18-fold from marijuana induced psychosis compared to controls
• Psychotic individual who are not using drugs and taking medication are very unlikely to commit violence

Dr. Miller is honored by the introduction in this podcast, but wishes to make clear her knowledge is based on the meticulous work of renowned epidemiologists, for which she can take no credit.