title: Cannabis Use in Psychiatrie Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cannabis abuse has been associated with psychiatric disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  The pattern of cannabis use and incidence of cannabis dependence and cannabis psychosis among 471 consecutive patients admitted to a tertiary care psychiatric center was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cannabis use was reported by 67 (14.23%) patients of whom 42 (8.92%) were occasional users, 18 (3.82%) were classified as frequent users while 7 (1.49%) fulfilled criteria for cannabis dependence. 3 (0.64%) patients showed symptoms which were characteristic of cannabis psychosis. Among the 67 cannabis users, 56 (83.58%) had their first exposure to cannabis before entering service at 13-19 years of age. The remaining 14 (16.09%) began consuming cannabis 1-5 years after joining service.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reasons given for using cannabis were curiosity about its effects 32 (47.76%), peer pressure 17 (25.37%) or traditional use during festivals 18 (26.87%).
authors.affiliation: Classified Specialist (Psychiatry), Command Hospital (Western Command), Chandimandir.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chaudhury
authors.affiliation: Commandant, Armed Forces Medical Stores Depot, Delhi Cantt.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sudarsanan
authors.affiliation: Ex-Classified Specialist (Psychiatry), Military Hospital Jalandhar Cantt.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Salujha
authors.affiliation: Scientist 'D'(Clinical Psychologist), Department of Psychiatry, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune-40.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Srivastava
keywords: Cannabis dependence; Psychiatric disorders