The Characterization of Synthetic Cannabinoids Psychoses

Clinical characteristics of synthetic cannabinoidinduced psychotic disorders- a single-center analysis of hospitalized patients

In Summary

A recent clinical study in Russia has documented four clinical variants of cannabis-induced psychoses, as well as the signs to recognize them. The researchers limited their study to males, so it is uncertain if these psychotic disorders can also be seen in women. Patients admitted to the emergency room who claimed to have ingested synthetic cannabinoids or tested positive for synthetic cannabinoids during urinalysis and were then asked to give consent. After all of the participants were confirmed to be suffering from psychoses the researchers separated patients into four distinct groups defined by their characteristics and highlighted predominant symptoms so that others may efficiently identify the specific psychoses when a new patient is identified. The data provides a basis for future diagnostic techniques and management.

The featured report emphasizes the importance of micro-dosing. The dose of cannabis is not reported in the article but is likely to include patients who overindulged in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which can have alarming effects. Microdosing prevents excess consumption by suggesting that patients start low and go slow when self-dosing their cannabis. It is also a good idea to keep a product that features cannabidiol (CBD) which mitigates the psychotic effects of THC. Patients should take care to minimize the amount of cannabis they consume so that any pain or other symptoms are treated but psychoactive effects are minimal.