The news
More than a fifth of people who use cannabis have dependence or problem use, according to a study published Tuesday in The Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open.
The study found that 21 percent of the people in the study had some degree of cannabis use disorder, which doctors broadly characterize as problematic cannabis use leading to a variety of symptoms, such as recurrent social and occupational problems, indicative of impairment and anxiety. In the study, 6.5 percent of users suffered from a moderate to severe condition.
Cannabis users experiencing more severe dependence tended to be recreational users, while less severe but still problematic use was associated with medical and recreational use about equally. The most common symptoms in both groups were increased tolerance, craving and uncontrolled escalation of cannabis use.
Background
Cannabis use is on the rise nationwide as more states have legalized it. The new findings are consistent with previous research, which found that about 20 percent of cannabis users develop a cannabis use disorder. The condition can be treated with detoxification and abstinence, therapies, and other treatments that work with addictive behaviors.
The new study drew its data from nearly 1,500 primary care patients in Washington state, where recreational use is legal, in an effort to examine the prevalence of cannabis use disorders among both medical and nonmedical users. The survey found that 42 percent of cannabis users identified themselves solely as a medical user; 25 percent identified as non-medical users, and 32 percent identified as both recreational and medical users.
What’s next
“The results here underline the importance of assessing patient cannabis use and CUD symptoms in medical settings,” the study concluded. This finding is consistent with previous research that urged people to learn more about the risks of developing cannabis use disorders, especially “among those who start early and use frequently during adolescence.”
