Ontario killer to be less frequently monitored in community despite concerns about cannabis use linked to psychosis

Ontario killer to be less frequently monitored in community despite concerns about cannabis use linked to psychosis

'Cannabis is a potent risk factor that was active during both of his index offences,’ said his hospital report

An Ontario man found not criminally responsible twice — once for murdering his step-grandfather and the second time for threatening to kill his father — must now only report to the hospital “not less than once every three months” even though his psychiatrist is concerned about his cannabis consumption.

During a recent Ontario Review Board (ORB) hearing, Andrew Brazier’s reporting regimen under his conditional discharge was ratcheted down from once every two months to quarterly check-ins. He’s been diagnosed with “schizophrenia and substance use disorder-cannabis (in remission)” and the board considers him a significant threat to the safety of the public.

“Cannabis is a potent risk factor that was active during both of his index offences,” according to his hospital report reviewed by the independent tribunal that regularly reviews the status of individuals found not criminally responsible due to mental disorder.

Brazier is “consuming only limited quantities, and we believe his motivation is external, i.e., due to being under the board’s supervision,” said the report from St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.

“We remain concerned that, despite receiving consistent feedback from us against using cannabis, Mr. Brazier remains determined to prove that cannabis consumption does not affect his mental status.”

Brazier was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder in November 2015 for uttering death threats to his dad.

Brazier’s now permitted to live in the community under conditions that include reporting regularly to St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.

Brazier’s most recent NCR designation came after a visit to the Hamilton hospital was prompted by his family’s concerns that his mental health was in decline.

After he “was assessed and released from that facility unconditionally” Brazier texted his father with requests for a ride home and followed that up with death threats.

Brazier had been found NCR earlier for killing his step-grandfather in October 2008 by cutting his throat, and his father perceived “the threats made by his son to be real,” said the recent ORB decision.

Brazier reported that he began smoking marijuana as a teen. He stopped for a couple of years but then started again in November 2006.

“His marijuana usage gradually increased to half an ounce per week,” the decision said.

Brazier also experimented with other drugs in 2006 and 2007 including ecstasy, cocaine and magic mushrooms, said the decision.

“On February 28, 2008, Mr. Brazier brutally stabbed his step-grandfather in the home while he lay in bed alongside his wife. In the months leading up to the murder, Mr. Brazier had been abusing marijuana and had become increasingly withdrawn and overtly hostile,” it said.

Prior to the killing, Brazier “had been experiencing psychotic symptoms including ideas of reference, hallucinations, and delusions. At the time of the murder, Mr. Brazier had been responding to command hallucinations and had incorporated his step grandfather into his delusional system.” He was found NCR on Oct. 7, 2008.

After five years of abstinence from cannabis and alcohol, the ORB granted Brazier an absolute discharge in September 2013.

But his problems with cannabis returned.

“He reported smoking marijuana on a regular basis after his discharge and indicated that this increased after his employment (at a vegetable processing plant) ended in December 2014.”

Brazier stopped taking his psychiatric medications in April 2014, said the decision.

“He indicated that he felt fine and did not think he required medications,” said the decision, which notes Brazier “admitted that he lied about medication adherence” to his case management team.

Brazier eventually withdrew from a program that aims to serve people with complex physical, psychological and social needs due to severe mental illness.

“By late 2014, he had quit work and was having difficulties in his relationships. And, despite attempts by family to get him assessed at hospital, Mr. Brazier’s ability to minimize and deny symptoms during brief hospital visits, he was never admitted to hospital,” said the ORB decision.

“Mr. Brazier’s most recent index offence of threatening death against his father was committed on August 5, 2015. Mr. Brazier was psychiatrically unwell at the time. While his symptoms were generally subtle, it is opined that his increased irritability, hostile attitude towards his father were the product of an underlying psychotic process.”

Brazier got a conditional discharge in February 2018.

He lives in the community with his wife and their young son.

Despite receiving consistent feedback from us against using cannabis, Mr. Brazier remains determined to prove that cannabis consumption does not affect his mental status

At his most recent ORB hearing, Brazier’s psychiatrist testified that Brazier “had no active symptoms of psychosis during the reporting year and continues to be adherent to his medication regimen. Mr. Brazier receives a long-acting antipsychotic medication injection from his family physician, has family support and has remained employed throughout the reporting year.”

Brazier’s “insight into his illness and need for medication have improved and he has more confidence in his adherence,” his psychiatrist told the ORB.

“The doctor reiterated, however, that Mr. Brazier has demonstrated excellent insight in the past while under the jurisdiction of the review board, only to lose it soon after receiving an absolute discharge.”

His psychiatrist “advised that despite past intentions to remain abstinent from cannabis and following nearly 18 months of abstinence, Mr. Brazier returned to cannabis use in November 2025.”

At first, he smoked about half a joint with friends.

“Since that time, by his own admission, he has used home-grown cannabis recreationally, approximately once every two weeks provided by a longtime friend. Mr. Brazier justified his return to cannabis based on the fact that he intended on using cannabis after leaving the jurisdiction of the board.”

He “denies cannabis has any impact on his mental status and remains committed to show that cannabis does not affect his mental state. He feels safe concerning small amounts of cannabis use which will be part of his life,” said the decision.

“Despite advice to the contrary, including the treatment team repeatedly telling him about the cannabis low risk guidelines which preclude persons with psychotic illness, he prefers his judgment to his psychiatrist’s judgement, to the team’s judgment and to the low-risk cannabis guidelines.”

Brazier’s psychiatrist “acknowledged that his present recreational use has not impacted on his mental state,” said the decision.

“He emphasized, however, that without supervision, Mr. Brazier will very likely increase his cannabis consumption, as he has done in the past.”

Cannabis use “remains a clear major risk factor for Mr. Brazier and played a role in both index offences in 2008 and 2015,” said the decision.

“In this regard, the doctor confirmed that Mr. Brazier was using a high amount of cannabis prior to the index offence in 2008 and using cannabis daily at the time of the current index offence.”

He prefers his judgment to his psychiatrist’s judgement, to the team’s judgment and to the low-risk cannabis guidelines

Brazier “has shown a pattern with respect to cannabis use,” his psychiatrist testified.

“He reminded the board that while under the board’s jurisdiction between 2008 and (2013-14), Mr. Brazier abstained from cannabis and was regarded as a model patient,” said the decision.

“He highlighted that following an absolute discharge by the board, Mr. Brazier returned quickly to cannabis use and did not believe it affected his mental status. He went off his medication, admitted he mislead his assertive community treatment team… left the program, and increased cannabis use, leading to his second and current index offence.”

When asked whether a lack of medication or cannabis use lead to Brazier’s crimes, his psychiatrist “stated that it was impossible to tease out their proportion and that they have a synergistic effect,” said the ORB decision.

“He opined that all we know is adherence to medication and small amounts of cannabis has not resulted in psychosis. He elaborated that the literature has shown that in spite of medication compliance, patients do relapse with increased cannabis use.”

The psychiatrist described two scenarios that could cause “significant risk,” said the decision.

“One is Mr. Brazier will increase his cannabis use leading to non-compliance with medication leading to psychosis and violence. The second scenario is increased cannabis use may overtake the protection afforded by the medication in that he is still vulnerable to psychotic episodes in spite of taking medication.”

According to his psychiatrist, Brazier’s “decompensation would unfold quickly with increased amounts of cannabis use, from days to weeks,” said the decision.

Brazier’s psychiatrist “advised that the likely victims would be within his delusional system with the highest risk for those that live with him. He stated that Mr. Brazier needs to demonstrate he is not using increased amounts of cannabis under less monitoring for a period of time.”

Brazier’s psychiatrist “stated that the hospital’s proposed decrease in reporting frequency to not less than once every three months, allows for monitoring any increase in cannabis use,” said the decision.

The doctor who manages Brazier as an outpatient didn’t agree with the other members of his treatment team “and believed Mr. Brazier did not meet the threshold of significant threat to the safety of the public. He opined that Mr. Brazier’s level of cannabis use would remain at recreational levels, as it did for the past 10 years under the board’s jurisdiction. He stated that at the time of the index offence, Mr. Brazier was using cannabis daily, and over the past 10 years has never been more than three times a week.”

Brazier was in the throes of trying to find a new psychiatrist in the community when the ORB hearing took place earlier this summer.

“Should Mr. Brazier’s mental state deteriorate with increased use of cannabis, it is crucial that he is under the care of a psychiatrist with the expertise to detect and manage early signs of decompensation, before he becomes an imminent threat to the physical or psychological safety of the public, particularly to vulnerable family members,” said the ORB decision.

“Furthermore, such a relationship may reduce the risk of future noncompliance with treatment, as occurred after the first absolute discharge, and the risk of Mr. Brazier increasing his cannabis use to problematic levels.”

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.