Cannabis-related hospital visits were about 7 times more likely to involve psychosis than non-cannabis visits in Arizona

Cannabis-related hospital visits were approximately 7 times as likely to involve a psychotic disorder diagnosis as cannabis-unrelated visits, an association that remained stable from 2016 to 2022. The link was stronger for visits by females and adolescents.

Researchers analyzed 21,934,060 emergency department and inpatient hospital visits in Arizona from 2016 to 2022 using ICD-10-CM codes. Poisson regression tested time trends in cannabis-psychotic disorder associations, with stratification by sex, age, and visit type.

As cannabis use and cannabis-related hospitalizations continue to rise, understanding the relationship between cannabis-related visits and psychotic disorders helps shape hospital screening and treatment coordination. The stability of this association across multiple years suggests it is not a temporary artifact of legalization changes.

This study adds to a growing body of evidence linking cannabis use with psychosis at the population level. The finding that adolescents and females showed stronger associations may inform targeted screening protocols in emergency departments.

Hospital visit data cannot establish causation. ICD-10-CM coding may misclassify some visits. People with psychotic disorders may be more likely to use cannabis (reverse causation). The study cannot account for THC potency or mode of consumption.