Knowledge and perceptions of mental health care users on decriminalisation of cannabis at Weskoppies, a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Gauteng, South Africa

Background: The decriminalisation of cannabis is gaining support in many countries, including South Africa. Decriminalisation does not make cannabis entirely legal but reduces the severity of punishment for possession and use. This study aimed to explore perceptions and knowledge of cannabis decriminalisation among mental health care users (MHCUs) at a tertiary psychiatric hospital (Weskoppies hospital) in Gauteng, South Africa. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, quantitative study. Mental health care users with positive cannabis urine tests completed a structured questionnaire. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Using the cannabis use disorder identification tool (CUDIT-R), participants were categorised into two groups: those with hazardous cannabis use and those with a cannabis use disorder. Both bivariate analyses (t-tests) and logistic regression models were performed to assess associations between knowledge or perceptions and sociodemographic variables (p ≤ 0.05). Results: The study included 90 participants, mostly single male (81%, n = 73), with Grade 12 education. The findings revealed that 6% of participants had accurate knowledge of cannabis, 56% had good knowledge and 38% had poor knowledge. Participants with good knowledge of cannabis had 3.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.54–15.44) greater odds of poor perceptions on decriminalisation of cannabis and a 4.9 (95% CI 1.12–8.23) decreased odds of cannabis use disorders. Additionally, older age (OR: 8.15; 95% CI 0.98–68.52) was statistically significant with increased odds of cannabis use disorders. Conclusion: This study highlights the varied levels of knowledge about cannabis among MHCUs and underscores the need for targeted education and rehabilitation services to address cannabis use issues. Contribution: The study provides insight into MHCUs’ cannabis perceptions, guiding targeted interventions to reduce harm.