(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.
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.