One in three new cases of psychosis is tied to cannabis, Minister of State for Mental Health Mary Butler has told the Seanad.
Speaking in the Seanad this week, the Fianna Fáil Minister said roughly 1,500 individuals across Ireland develop their first psychotic disorder annually.
She acknowledged the “distress, uncertainty and isolation” families often face when a relative suffers from persistent psychosis, especially if the individual doesn’t accept they have a condition or refuses help.
“These situations can be incredibly challenging, not only for the individual concerned but also for those who care about them and want to help,” she said.
While stressing that the illness is highly treatable, the Minister emphasised how vital prompt medical intervention and specialist care are for patients and their wider communities. Pointing to a recent report, she highlighted a strong overlap with addiction.
“We know, for example, from a recent report I received that 33% of all new psychotic cases are linked to cannabis,” Butler said.
She urged anyone worried about a loved one’s mental wellbeing to reach out to professionals, such as a GP or a community mental health team, to explore the best available care pathways.
Butler also referenced the Mental Health Act 2026, which was enacted in May, noting that patients can still be admitted involuntarily if they meet strict legal thresholds and urgently require treatment or protection.
Notably, Fianna Fáil’s 2024 general election manifesto included commitments to reform drug laws. The party promised to decriminalise drugs for personal use, mandate education or treatment for those caught in possession, and establish a formal national stance on cannabis regulation after consulting medical experts and international partners.
Despite these pledges and calls by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Drugs Use to abolish Section 3 of the 1977 Misuse of Drugs Act, the Government has not decriminalised possession. Top coalition figures have since clarified that full decriminalisation will not happen during the current Governnment’s lifetime.
As reported by the Irish Independent on September 28th, more than 2,000 people were discharged from Irish hospitals over two years after experiencing mental or behavioural disorders due to the use of cannabinoids.