Novel substance, same old problems: admissions of psychosis precipitated by hexahydrocannabinol, a widely available semi-synthetic cannabinoid
Aims and method To investigate the impact of the widespread availability and use of the semi-synthetic cannabinoid hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) on hospital admissions owing to psychosis. Medical records of patients admitted for psychotic illness to University Hospital Galway were examined to assess H...
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| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
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| Series: | BJPsych Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469425000853/type/journal_article |
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| author | Brian O’Mahony Sarah Lanigan Níall Lally Andrew O’Malley Bobby Smyth Colm McDonald Brian Hallahan |
| author_facet | Brian O’Mahony Sarah Lanigan Níall Lally Andrew O’Malley Bobby Smyth Colm McDonald Brian Hallahan |
| author_sort | Brian O’Mahony |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Aims and method
To investigate the impact of the widespread availability and use of the semi-synthetic cannabinoid hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) on hospital admissions owing to psychosis. Medical records of patients admitted for psychotic illness to University Hospital Galway were examined to assess HHC or other illicit drug use before admission.
Results
Of the 214 total admissions for psychotic illness, 28 admissions (13.1%) were preceded by use of HHC, nine of whom used only HHC. Sixteen (34%) admissions of first-episode psychosis were preceded by HHC use, with seven of these using only HHC.
Clinical implications
Clinicians should explicitly enquire about the use of HHC in patients presenting with first-episode and relapse of psychotic illness. Sufficient evidence has now accumulated from research of a link between HHC and psychosis. Such psychoses appear to be more prominent in young people with early-phase psychosis, and highlights the need for authorities to change legislation to avoid further harm.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-94f7df5cee394dc9b573ebd6025b69c4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2056-4694 2056-4708 |
| language | English |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-94f7df5cee394dc9b573ebd6025b69c42025-08-20T03:28:47ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Bulletin2056-46942056-47081610.1192/bjb.2025.85Novel substance, same old problems: admissions of psychosis precipitated by hexahydrocannabinol, a widely available semi-synthetic cannabinoidBrian O’Mahony0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1530-0167Sarah Lanigan1Níall Lally2Andrew O’Malley3Bobby Smyth4Colm McDonald5Brian Hallahan6School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, IrelandDepartment of Psychiatry, University Hospital Galway, Galway, IrelandDepartment of Psychiatry, University Hospital Galway, Galway, IrelandSchool of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Galway, Galway, IrelandDepartment Public of Health & Primary Care, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, IrelandSchool of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Galway, Galway, IrelandSchool of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Galway, Galway, Ireland Aims and method To investigate the impact of the widespread availability and use of the semi-synthetic cannabinoid hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) on hospital admissions owing to psychosis. Medical records of patients admitted for psychotic illness to University Hospital Galway were examined to assess HHC or other illicit drug use before admission. Results Of the 214 total admissions for psychotic illness, 28 admissions (13.1%) were preceded by use of HHC, nine of whom used only HHC. Sixteen (34%) admissions of first-episode psychosis were preceded by HHC use, with seven of these using only HHC. Clinical implications Clinicians should explicitly enquire about the use of HHC in patients presenting with first-episode and relapse of psychotic illness. Sufficient evidence has now accumulated from research of a link between HHC and psychosis. Such psychoses appear to be more prominent in young people with early-phase psychosis, and highlights the need for authorities to change legislation to avoid further harm. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469425000853/type/journal_articlePsychosessubstance-induced cannabinol/analogues and derivativespsychoactive drugslegal psychiatry |
| spellingShingle | Brian O’Mahony Sarah Lanigan Níall Lally Andrew O’Malley Bobby Smyth Colm McDonald Brian Hallahan Novel substance, same old problems: admissions of psychosis precipitated by hexahydrocannabinol, a widely available semi-synthetic cannabinoid BJPsych Bulletin Psychoses substance-induced cannabinol/analogues and derivatives psychoactive drugs legal psychiatry |
| title | Novel substance, same old problems: admissions of psychosis precipitated by hexahydrocannabinol, a widely available semi-synthetic cannabinoid |
| title_full | Novel substance, same old problems: admissions of psychosis precipitated by hexahydrocannabinol, a widely available semi-synthetic cannabinoid |
| title_fullStr | Novel substance, same old problems: admissions of psychosis precipitated by hexahydrocannabinol, a widely available semi-synthetic cannabinoid |
| title_full_unstemmed | Novel substance, same old problems: admissions of psychosis precipitated by hexahydrocannabinol, a widely available semi-synthetic cannabinoid |
| title_short | Novel substance, same old problems: admissions of psychosis precipitated by hexahydrocannabinol, a widely available semi-synthetic cannabinoid |
| title_sort | novel substance same old problems admissions of psychosis precipitated by hexahydrocannabinol a widely available semi synthetic cannabinoid |
| topic | Psychoses substance-induced cannabinol/analogues and derivatives psychoactive drugs legal psychiatry |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469425000853/type/journal_article |
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