Background Recently,publications have hypothesised that the demonstrated increase in the incidence of schizophrenia in New Zealand is a side effect of the increased strength of available cannabis derivatives over the last 25+years and the much more recent increase in the population''s use of methamphetamine.Aim To compare the rates of later schizophrenia between age-matched mental health service users with initial diagnoses as alcohol abusers or illicit drug users.Method From the PRIMHD comprehensive national database,all users of the mental health services over a 5-year period who received an ICD-10 presenting diagnosis of alcohol or substance use/abuse were identified.For each person identified,the database was examined for the following 3 years to determine the numbers later diagnosed with schizophrenia.Results For the initial alcohol problem people in their twenties,1.7%were diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia in the subsequent 3 years.For the initial drug problem people,the rate was 10.9%.Within that drug-using population,the indigenous Maori developed schizophrenia at a higher rate than did the remainder of the population.Conclusion These findings in New Zealand require further research into their generalisability,context and explanation.
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