Teenagers, young adults, pregnant women, drivers and people with mental problems should avoid cannabis, according to the largest health study of its kind.
However, cannabidiol (a compound found in marijuana) can help reduce seizures in epilepsy patients, and cannabis-based medicines can help with multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, inflammatory bowel disease and palliative care.
The study, which was published in the BMJ , found that while the components of cannabis may be beneficial for people with certain conditions, consumption of the drug may be harmful for other groups of people.
Experts analyzed data from 101 studies on cannabis use. The studies that were considered date from 2002 to 2022 and address the health effects of various combinations of cannabis, cannabinoids and cannabis-based medicines.
According to the data, cannabis increased the risk of motorists' accidents and led to poor outcomes for babies when pregnant women used the drug. The authors said cannabis should be avoided by young people because their brains are still developing.
Cannabis is generally not legal in many countries, but medicinal cannabis – or cannabis-based medicines – can be used, always with a doctor's approval.
