Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Cannabis-Related Mental Disorders and an Examination of Factors Influencing Their Access to Medical and Nonmedical Resources: Comparison of Methamphetamine-Related Mental Disorders.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to identify the characteristics of patients with cannabis use disorder and to determine whether the challenges in treating cannabis use disorder stem from the pharmacological properties of cannabis as an abused substance or from other contributing factors.

Methods: The subjects of this study were the 208 male cases of methamphetamine-related mental disorders (MAP group) and 82 male cases of cannabis-related mental disorders (CAN group), which drawn from the "2024 Nationwide Survey on the Actual Conditions of Drug-Related Mental Disorders in Psychiatric Hospitals in Japan." Clinical variables were compared between the two groups, and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the use of medical and nonmedical resources.

Results: The CAN group was found to be younger, to have fewer histories of drug-related criminal offenses, incarceration in correctional facilities, or comorbid psychiatric disorders, compared to the MAP group, and to exhibit less severe forms of substance use disorder and have less experience participating in self-help groups or utilizing private recovery support facilities. Logistic regression analyses of the use of self-help groups and private recovery support facilities indicated that the utilization of these nonmedical resources was more strongly associated with older age and greater severity of substance use disorder than with the specific type of substance abused.

Conclusion: Recently, an increasing number of young patients in Japan have been arrested for cannabis-related offenses and seek addiction treatment. There is growing concern that current nonmedical support resources may not adequately address the specific needs of these individuals.