Does cannabis cause lasting brain damage?

Until recently, it was possible to state with some confi -

dence that there was no evidence of cannabis-related

brain damage in humans. There was some support from

the animal literature, but few human studies had been

conducted where the findings could not be explained

by methodological or other confounding factors.

Recent evidence for gross morphological, connectivity

and microstructural changes has now emerged that

warrants further consideration. If cannabis were found

to alter the structural integrity of the brain, then this

may assist us to understand the mechanisms by which

cannabis triggers psychotic symptoms or overt psychosis

in vulnerable individuals.