What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: Mental Health, THC.

Where was this research published?

Published in Psychiatry research on June 15, 2026.

Cannabis-linked psychosis may signal onset of schizophrenia

Q: What did this research study find?

This retrospective study examined **129 patients hospitalized with substance-induced psychosis** in Romania between 2014 and 2024, with a focus on understanding the onset and progression of psychotic episodes linked to drug use. **THC (cannabis) was the primary substance involved in 82.95% of cases*

Patterns of onset and progression of psychoses induced by psychoactive substance use.

Psychiatry research • June 15, 2026 • Moderately Relevant

🤖

AI Summary

This retrospective study examined 129 patients hospitalized with substance-induced psychosis in Romania between 2014 and 2024, with a focus on understanding the onset and progression of psychotic episodes linked to drug use. THC (cannabis) was the primary substance involved in 82.95% of cases, making it by far the most commonly implicated drug in this patient population. Nearly half of the patients (44.96%) required readmission for subsequent psychiatric care following their initial psychotic episode, suggesting that substance-induced psychosis often leads to recurrent mental health crises.

A critical finding was that 11.62% of patients with substance-induced psychosis went on to develop a permanent major psychiatric disorder, with 7.8% diagnosed with schizophrenia and 3.9% with bipolar disorder. The average time to this transition was approximately 3.37 years, indicating that the initial psychotic episode may be a warning sign for longer-term psychiatric illness. Patients who used multiple drugs concurrently faced elevated risks, highlighting how polydrug use compounds vulnerability to serious mental health outcomes.

The research underscores that substance-induced psychosis should not be dismissed as a temporary reaction to drug use alone. Instead, it may represent the onset of underlying psychiatric vulnerability, particularly in individuals using THC and other psychoactive substances. These findings support the need for sustained psychiatric monitoring, early intervention, and targeted prevention strategies for high-risk cannabis users to catch potential transitions to schizophrenia-spectrum or bipolar disorders before they become entrenched.

📄 Original Abstract

Drug use in Europe has increased in recent years, including a marked rise in new psychoactive substances (NPS). Substance use disorders negatively affect physical and mental health. Psychotic disorders are highly prevalent among drug users. Establishing a link between illicit drug use and schizophrenia would help clarify the progression risk after substance-induced psychosis. To investigate the onset and evolution of substance-induced psychosis in patients hospitalized in Brașov Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry and Neurology. A retrospective observational study, analyzing data from all the patients admitted to the hospital between 2014 and 2024, who were diagnosed with substance-induced psychosis other than alcohol, according to DSM-5 criteria. Of all admissions, 2353 (9.6%) were diagnosed with acute psychotic disorders, of which 129 (5.5%) were related to psychoactive substances. THC (cannabis) was the main substance used, being present in 82.95% of cases. Almost half of the patients (44.96%) reported multiple drug use. 48.84% of patients required subsequent psychiatric readmissions after a first episode of substance-induced psychosis. 11.62% of the patients with substance-induced psychosis were subsequently diagnosed with a major psychiatric disorder, schizophrenia (N = 10, 7.8%) or bipolar disorder (N = 5, 3.9%). The mean duration of conversion to a major psychiatric disorder was 3.37±3.38 years. Substance-induced psychosis carried a meaningful risk of later transition to schizophrenia-spectrum or bipolar disorders, particularly among patients with higher-risk substance patterns and other vulnerability factors. THC was the most frequently used substance and emerged as an important risk marker in this cohort, supporting the need for timely recognition, sustained follow-up, and integrated intervention for high-risk patients.

Paper Type

📄 Research

Publication

Journal: Psychiatry research
Published: June 15, 2026
PMID: 42320288
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2026.117283

Authors (5)

Petru Ifteni Transilvania University of Brașov, Romania, Faculty of Medicine, 29 Eroilor Bld., 500036, Brașov, Romania; Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie si Neurologie Brașov, 7-9 Prundului Str., 500123, Brașov, Romania.
Ana Aliana Miron Transilvania University of Brașov, Romania, Faculty of Medicine, 29 Eroilor Bld., 500036, Brașov, Romania; Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie si Neurologie Brașov, 7-9 Prundului Str., 500123, Brașov, Romania. Electronic address: aliana.miron@unitbv.ro.
Ruxandra Necula Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie si Neurologie Brașov, 7-9 Prundului Str., 500123, Brașov, Romania.
Lorena Dima Transilvania University of Brașov, Romania, Faculty of Medicine, 29 Eroilor Bld., 500036, Brașov, Romania.
Andreea Teodorescu Transilvania University of Brașov, Romania, Faculty of Medicine, 29 Eroilor Bld., 500036, Brașov, Romania; Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie si Neurologie Brașov, 7-9 Prundului Str., 500123, Brașov, Romania.