Victoria cannabis-related hospital admissions rise 49%

Research from Monash University indicates that cannabis-related hospital admissions in Victoria increased by 49 per cent between 2013 and 2023. The study, published in the medical journal Addiction, analyzed data from more than 40,000 admissions across public and private hospitals.

Psychotic disorders were the primary driver of these admissions, accounting for 40 per cent of cases. Other significant diagnoses included harmful cannabis use at 15.2 per cent and withdrawals at 11.6 per cent. While men and boys aged 15-24 remain the highest overall demographic for hospitalisations, the study noted a significant surge among women and girls, whose admission rates increased by 75 per cent compared to 35 per cent for men.

Lead researcher Myfanwy Graham noted that hospital admissions typically involve more complex cases than emergency department visits, often requiring stays of multiple days. More than 1,500 patients required transfer to intensive care units. The data also showed that admissions peaked during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.