title: Cannabis use in a large sample of acute psychiatric admissions.
abstract: A sample of 908 patients drawn from two London Psychiatric Hospitals is described in terms of age, sex, self-reported drug and alcohol history, drug urinalysis results and initial psychiatric diagnosis. Some (34.5%) of respondents admitted to using cannabis at least once in their lifetime and 13% of those tested had urines positive for cannabis on admission. Cannabis use is commoner in young males. These is a higher likelihood that an initial diagnosis of 'psychosis' will be made at admission if patients either report use of cannabis or present a urine sample positive for cannabis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Addictive Behaviour, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Mathers
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ghodse
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Caan
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011605:Psychoses, Substance-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D002186:Cannabinoids