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Mentally Ill: Cannabis

Volume 459: debated on Friday 20 April 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people were treated for cannabis-induced psychosis in each of the last five years; and how many were under 18 years old; (131203)

(2) what treatments are available for people suffering from cannabis-induced psychosis.

Information about the number of finished consultant episodes in patients with a primary diagnosis of mental and behavioural disorder due to the use of cannabinoids and which has resulted in a psychotic disorder, or a resident or late-onset psychotic disorder is shown in the table. The data do not include those patients seen in primary care.

Data are collected by gender and in the age ranges 0 to 14 years, 15 to 59 years, 60 to 74 years and 75 years and over, but are not available prior to 2002-03. Separate data relating to people under 18-years-old and who were treated for cannabis-induced psychosis are not available.

Number of finished consultant episodes in patients with a primary diagnosis of mental and behavioural disorder following cannabinoid use, resulting in psychotic disorder and resident and late-onset disorder, in the national health service in England, 2002-03 to 2005-06

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

Age

Psychotic disorder

Resident and late-onset psychotic disorder

Psychotic disorder

Resident and late-onset psychotic disorder

Psychotic disorder

Resident and late-onset psychotic disorder

Psychotic disorder

Resident and late-onset psychotic disorder

Male

0-14

1

0

2

0

3

0

1

0

15-59

304

3

336

3

331

2

393

3

60-74

0

0

0

0

3

0

1

0

75+

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

Male total for year

305

3

339

3

337

2

395

3

Female

0-14

1

0

0

0

0

0

2

1

15-59

64

0

87

0

68

1

92

1

60-74

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

75+

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Female total for year

67

0

87

0

68

1

94

2

Male and female total for year

372

3

426

3

405

3

489

5

Source:

Hospital Episode Statistics

Since a large number of drug users may be using more than one drug, treatments are generally user-specific rather than drug-specific. Treatments provided for cannabis-induced psychosis can include help with stopping or reducing cannabis use, including specialist services where cannabis addiction may be present, anti-psychotic treatment as appropriate and support in understanding the harmful effects of cannabis.

The Department has also distributed a cannabis toolkit for service users and healthcare professionals, to help to reduce and stop the use of cannabis. However, decisions about the development of drug treatment services are the responsibility of local commissioners who are best placed to assess the needs of their local population.