Study Shows Half of Medical Providers Concerned about Pot-Related Mental and Health Issues

UW School of Medicine reports new findings from a new survey of Washington State medical providers that sheds new light on growing concerns of physical and mental effects from recreational pot use.

 Hundreds of Clinicians Who were Surveyed Are Concerned

The Substance Abuse and Addiction Journal published the results of a survey, conducted between December 2024 and March of 2025. 388 doctors, nurses, and clinicians responded to the survey, and it provided some eye-opening results.

Half of them indicated they are seeing patients suffering from physical ailments that could be related to regular recreational pot use, and 20 percent said they are seeing people who appear to be experiencing psychological and mental difficulties as well.

 Is Pot Causing People to Vomit and Get Queasy?

Some clinicians in Washington State have reported a number of patients who are allegedly experiencing nausea and vomiting related to their marijuana use. Other medical workers around the nation reported treating people for what's they are calling Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome. It is attributed to causing nausea and vomiting and other potentially related issues.

65 percent of those surveyed reporting seeing patients who were diagnosed or showed signs of cannabis-use disorder, which is a significant addiction to the drug.

63 percent of the medical workers who reported treating people with anxiety claim they could be related to pot use, and 53 percent said they have seen patients who use cannabis are dealing with psychoses or hallucinations. Of those 63 percent, over half allege these symptoms were some of the worst they'd ever seen.

 Lack of Medical Training in How to Deal with Pot, Is a Growing Medical Issue

The study also showed the need for more training in this area to help patients using cannabis. While medical workers are very well-versed in medications, treatments and other knowledge, most admit when it comes to dealing with marijuana-related ailments--especially mental, they have little to no experience.

Some Claim Today's Pot Is 3 to 4 Times More Powerful than in Previous Generations

As to why recreational pot is linked to these issues, many experts claim the potency of cannabis sold today is far more powerful than it was in the 60's 70's, or even the early 2000's. They allege the THC component in pot from 20-25 years ago was around 4 to 5 % but now it's likely to be from 15 to 25% more potent.

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