Why Are More People Getting Prescribed Medicinal Cannabis After a Psychotic Episode?

In Queensland, Australia, a recent look into medical records of people who had their first psychotic episode showed something interesting. Before they were referred to early psychosis services, only a small number of these individuals were prescribed stimulants or medicinal cannabis. But after their psychotic episode, the number of people getting medicinal cannabis prescriptions went up. This is a bit concerning. The data shows that the amount of THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, was higher in the prescriptions given after the psychotic episode compared to before. This could mean that doctors are giving stronger cannabis-based medicines to people who have already had a psychotic episode, which might not be the best idea. Moreover, a large percentage of these individuals ended up needing more mental health support after being prescribed these medications. This raises questions about whether these prescriptions are helping or making things worse. It's important to note that this study only looked at a small group of people. But it does suggest that more care should be taken when prescribing medicinal cannabis, especially to people who have experienced psychosis. Maybe there should be stricter rules or guidelines to make sure these prescriptions are safe and appropriate.