F12.21 ICD-10-CA code: Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of synthetic cannabinoids, dependence syndrome
F12.21 is the ICD-10-CA code for “Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of synthetic cannabinoids, dependence syndrome” in CIHI’s FY 2026–2027 release, in effect from Apr 1, 2026.
Official description
F12.21Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of synthetic cannabinoids, dependence syndrome
Short description: Ment/beh dis dt syn cannab dep syndr
ICD-10-CA · Canada · Also written F1221
Index terms
Entries in CIHI’s alphabetical index that lead to F12.21. Searching the index by the condition the note names is how coders reach this code.
- Dependence, due to, cannabinoids (from cannabis plant), synthetic (IZMS) (K2) (Spice)
- Disorder (of), cannabinoid (from cannabis plant) use, synthetic (IZMS) (K2) (Spice), moderate or severe
Notes for F12.21
As CIHI prints them, with any note F12.21 takes from the headings above it.
Includes
- Drug addictionFrom F12.2 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cannabinoids, dependence syndrome
- Disorders of psychological developmentFrom Chapter 5: Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)
Excludes
Conditions classified elsewhere.
- Abuse of non-dependence-producing substances (F55)From F10-F19 Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use
- Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)From Chapter 5: Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)
Note
- A cluster of behavioural, cognitive, and physiological phenomena that develop after repeated substance use and that typically include a strong desire to take the drug, difficulties in controlling its use, persisting in its use despite harmful consequences, a higher priority given to drug use than to other activities and obligations, increased tolerance, and sometimes a physical withdrawal state. The dependence syndrome may be present for a specific psychoactive substance (e.g. tobacco, alcohol, or diazepam), for a class of substances (e.g. opioid drugs), or for a wider range of pharmacologically different psychoactive substances.From F12.2 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cannabinoids, dependence syndrome
- This block contains a wide variety of disorders that differ in severity and clinical form but that are all attributable to the use of one or more psychoactive substances, which may or may not have been medically prescribed. The third character of the code identifies the substance involved, and the fourth character specifies the clinical state. The codes should be used, as required, for each substance specified, but it should be noted that not all fourth-character codes are applicable to all substances.Identification of the psychoactive substance should be based on as many sources of information as possible. These include self-report data, analysis of blood and other body fluids, characteristic physical and psychological symptoms, clinical signs and behaviour, and other evidence such as a drug being in the patient's possession or reports from informed third parties. Many drug users take more than one type of psychoactive substance. The main diagnosis should be classified, whenever possible, according to the substance or class of substances that has caused or contributed most to the presenting clinical syndrome. Other diagnoses should be coded when other psychoactive substances have been taken in intoxicating amounts (common fourth character .0) or to the extent of causing harm (common fourth character .1), dependence (common fourth character .2) or other disorders (common fourth character .3-.9).Only in cases in which patterns of psychoactive substance-taking are chaotic and indiscriminate, or in which the contributions of different psychoactive substances are inextricably mixed, should the diagnosis of disorders resulting from multiple drug use (F19.-) be used.From F10-F19 Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use
Where F12.21 sits
- 1ChapterChapter 5: Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)
- 2Block F10-F19Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use
- 3Category F12Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cannabinoids
- 4Subcategory F12.2Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cannabinoids, dependence syndrome
- 5Valid code F12.21Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of synthetic cannabinoids, dependence syndrome
Source and release
- Data release
- ICD-10-CA · FY 2026–2027
- Effective date
- Apr 1, 2026
- Publisher
- CIHI
This page is built from the ICD-10-CA catalog that Vero Codes reads when it suggests codes: Canadian Institute for Health Information’s FY 2026–2027 release, imported from the publisher’s file and checked against it. The description, notes and structured data come from the same record.
Frequently asked questions
What does ICD-10-CA code F12.21 mean?
F12.21 is the ICD-10-CA code for “Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of synthetic cannabinoids, dependence syndrome” in CIHI’s ICD-10-CA FY 2026–2027 release.
Where is F12.21 in ICD-10-CA?
F12.21 sits under F12.2 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cannabinoids, dependence syndrome, within F12 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cannabinoids, within F10-F19 Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use, within Chapter 5: Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99).
What coding notes apply to F12.21?
ICD-10-CA lists Note, Includes, Excludes notes for F12.21, including those from the headings it sits under. They are listed on this page with where each one comes from.
Which ICD-10-CA release does this page use?
It uses CIHI’s FY 2026–2027 release, in effect from Apr 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027. It is a reference: confirm the code against the current list and the payer’s rules before you submit it.