Cannabis and spice addiction in Almaty

Reviewed byRinat Zhumabekov, MDAddiction psychiatrist, experience 21 years · updated 8 Nov 2026

Key facts

ICD-10 code

F12.2

Who provides care

An addiction doctor (narcologist) from the mobile team, followed by the clinic’s psychotherapist or psychologist

Where

At home in Almaty and its suburbs, in the inpatient unit, or online for family members

Duration

Home visit — 1–2 hours; acute withdrawal — about 7–14 days; follow-up support — from 3 months

Anonymity

Medical confidentiality; paid anonymous treatment with no entry in the state dispensary registry

When it is urgent

Psychosis, seizures, chest pain, confusion, or suicidal thoughts — call 103 or 112

Outcome

Relief of acute withdrawal symptoms, a treatment plan, and work on the reasons behind drug use

What you should know

Told by the on-call doctor of our mobile team. Most of our cannabis-related calls come on Friday evenings or at night after holidays. It is rarely the person themselves who calls — it is a mother or a wife: “He hasn’t slept for three days, he keeps pacing around the apartment and says someone is watching him.” The dispatcher will ask the person’s age, what exactly they used — “weed” or a smoking blend — when they last used, and whether there is aggression, seizures, or suicidal thoughts. The answers determine whether I come alone or recommend inpatient care right away.

Travel time across the city varies: at night it takes us about twenty to thirty minutes to reach the Bostandyk district, in evening traffic on Al-Farabi Avenue up to an hour, and longer to the Alatau or Nauryzbay districts or to Kaskelen. While I am on my way, the dispatcher stays on the line with the family and tells them what to do: remove sharp objects, avoid arguing, and do not lock the person in. With spice, honesty matters: synthetic cannabinoids are far more toxic than plant cannabis, and reactions to them can be unpredictable, so if there is confusion or seizures, I ask families not to wait for me but to call 103.

Warning Signs That Bring Families to Us

• using almost every day, even though the person promised to use “only on weekends”
• irritability, insomnia, and loss of appetite during the first days without marijuana
• declining interest in studies, work, sports, and old friends
• bouts of anxiety, suspiciousness, a feeling of being watched
• red eyes, slowed speech, memory gaps for recent events
• debts, money and belongings disappearing from home, lying about where they spent their time
• attempts to quit that end after a few days

If two or three points apply, it is worth seeing a doctor. Phone advice is free and confidential. If life is at risk, call 103 or 112.

Why Marijuana and Spice Are Addictive

The active compounds in cannabis act on the brain’s endocannabinoid system, which regulates mood, sleep, appetite, and the stress response. With regular use, the brain adapts, and without the drug the person feels anxious, bored, and unable to sleep. The risk is higher in teenagers and young adults because their brains are still maturing. A common story in our practice: a student who started smoking “to fit in” in the dorm and a year later can no longer fall asleep without a joint.

Synthetic cannabinoids, or spice, pose a separate danger. They are chemicals of unpredictable composition that bind to receptors more strongly than plant cannabis. As a result, acute psychosis, seizures, heart rhythm disturbances, and severe poisoning are more common. Dependence is further sustained by depression, anxiety disorders, ADHD, family conflicts, and a social circle in which drug use is seen as normal.

How we help

Myths and facts

How a home visit works

1. Call or message usThe dispatcher answers 24/7 and in 3–5 minutes checks the person's condition, age, how long the drinking or use has lasted, chronic conditions and the address. No surname needed.
2. The doctor sets offAn addiction doctor or psychiatrist comes with equipment and medication. Travel time depends on the district — usually within an hour. If inpatient care or an ambulance is needed, we'll say so straight away.
3. Examination and treatmentBlood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, blood sugar if needed and a neurological check. Then an IV drip or other treatment as indicated, 1–3 hours.
4. A plan for the next daysAdvice for the family on what to do overnight and tomorrow, phone follow-up and a repeat visit if needed.
5. Further treatmentCoding, psychotherapy, rehab or psychiatric follow-up — once the acute state has passed and the person is ready.

Prices in Almaty

The final cost is agreed before treatment starts. Prices are in tenge and do not constitute a public offer.

Where to get help

In almaty you can get help at home, at one of our two branches (84 Zhandosova St., Almaty, 21 Seyfullina Ave., office 11, Almaty) or online if you need a consultation rather than a procedure. The dispatcher answers 24/7 and will tell you straight away which option is safest.

Confidential and private

Information about your request, diagnosis and treatment is protected by medical confidentiality under the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”. We do not share it with employers, schools, the police or neighbours; the only exceptions are those expressly set by law. A first name is enough to call us, and paid confidential treatment does not mean a registry entry.

Questions and answers