Hospital admissions primarily attributed to cannabis rose 49 percent across Victoria in the decade to 2022–23, with psychotic disorders the most common reason for admission, according to new Monash University research.
Psychotic disorders, which can cause people to experience hallucinations and delusions and lose touch with reality, accounted for 40 percent of hospital admissions primarily related to cannabis.
A further 15.2 percent were for harmful cannabis use, 11.6 percent for poisonings and withdrawal, and 11.2 percent for intoxication.
Men and boys aged 15 to 24 had the highest admission rates, followed by women and girls of the same age. But the sharpest rise was among females, with admissions among women and girls of all ages up 75 percent over the decade, more than double the 35 percent rise recorded among men.
Lead author Myfanwy Graham, from the Monash Addiction Research Centre, said the findings showed a growing strain on the health system.
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“Unlike emergency department visits, hospital admissions generally involve more serious or complex cases where patients need additional treatment or monitoring.”
Cannabis Hospitalisations by the Numbers
More than two-thirds of patients were hospitalised for several days, with a median stay of seven days.
In total, 1,592 admissions involved intensive care, amounting to almost 110,000 hours.
Over the decade, 53 patients admitted with cannabis-related problems died in hospital, fewer than five of whom had a cannabis-related principal diagnosis.
The study’s findings sit alongside national survey data showing that, while the overall share of Australians using cannabis has barely moved, use among women has risen.
Meanwhile, the proportion of women using cannabis increased from 7.9 percent in 2016 to 8.6 percent in 2019 and 9.8 percent in 2022–23.
The Implications of Legalising Medicinal Cannabis
The Monash researchers noted that Australia introduced a federally regulated medicinal cannabis scheme in 2016 but has no legal market for recreational cannabis.
Questions about safeguards around its use have been raised by Australia’s medical and pharmacy bodies.
The groups called for stronger clinical governance and more consistent standards for cannabis medicines.
Meanwhile, the study authors cautioned that hospital records probably understate cannabis-related harms because stigma and differences in screening and recording practices can lead to cases being missed.
“Cannabis-related harms are likely to be underestimated in hospitalisation data,” they wrote.
Graham also called for investment in research that tracks cannabis safety trends as they happen, and for tools that help doctors and nurses identify patients at risk during routine care.
