Select a region
Mental health services have seen an increase in cases of acute mental illness in islanders using large amounts of prescribed or illicit cannabis, the Health Minister has revealed.
In the States Assembly today, Deputy Tom Binet said: “Our own mental health services reported anecdotally that there's been an increase in the number of people presenting with acute mental illness who have been using significant amounts of prescribed and/or illicit cannabis.”
The Minister went on to discuss the results of a recent audit that suggested around 25,000 medicinal cannabis prescriptions were dispensed in Jersey each year.
The audit also revealed a "significant" difference in prescribing levels between Jersey and England – with 6% of the island's working population holding a prescription compared to just 0.05% over the water.
Pictured: The Health Minister said there has been an increase in the number of people presenting with acute mental illness who have been using significant amounts of cannabis.
The Health Minister also acknowledged that the primary medical conditions for which cannabis was prescribed cannot yet be fully tracked, as the necessary electronic patient record system is not yet in place.
He admitted that this has limited the Government's ability to gather comprehensive data on the consequences of the policy – but said that the electronic record system should improve monitoring and oversight when it is implemented across all prescribers.
Deputy Binet also voiced his criticism towards the previous Government for bringing in legislation that legalised medical cannabis without adequate regulatory and legislative frameworks in place.
“A previous Assembly legalised medicinal cannabis without putting in place the required frameworks," he said.
"We're in a position of playing catch up, and I can assure the Assembly that we're making a great deal of effort.”
However, when pressed on what support is being developed for those who develop mental health issues related to medicinal cannabis use, the Minister admitted that the Government is not doing anything specific, but is "mindful of it".
Government employees could face compulsory drug testing
Work underway to develop laws for cannabis clinic regulation
IN NUMBERS: Jersey's medicinal cannabis usage
Medicinal cannabis clampdown looms after Jersey audit sparks "significant concern"
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.