Citation

Lin CH, Chan CH. J. Subst. Use 2022; 27(5): 448-451.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Informa Healthcare)

DOI

10.1080/14659891.2021.1968967

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The trend of legalizing medical cannabis is related to its increased illicit use worldwide. In Taiwan, cannabis has become the fifth most used illicit substance, with continuous increases in its use since 2018; yet, the potential risk of adverse mental health due to cannabis use has not been sufficiently emphasized.

METHODS: In this study, we present the findings from a case series of six patients with cannabis-induced psychosis.

RESULTS: Two of them had prior psychotic disorders in remission. Four patients showed violent behaviors, and other two showed lethal suicidal behaviors under the influence of cannabis. Two of the six patients were hospitalized for more than 2 weeks owing to the prolonged psychotic state.

CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians, patients with psychosis, and cannabis users in Eastern countries should pay more attention to the complex models of cannabis use and the public risk of related violent behaviors exhibited by patients under psychosis. © 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; violence; suicide; male; cannabis; Cannabis; aggression; psychosis; suicidal behavior; hospitalization; disease severity; Taiwan; retrospective study; clinical article; length of stay; automutilation; hallucination; middle aged; emergency ward; haloperidol; delusion; cannabis addiction; olanzapine; risperidone; hospital discharge; drug dependence treatment; valproic acid; mania; clinical observation; remission; auditory hallucination; grandiose delusion; persecutory delusion; medical record review; visual hallucination; young adult; Letter; DSM-5; cannabis use; psychiatric emergency; urine sampling; cannabis-induced psychosis; negation delusion; tactile hallucination