Cannabis use disorder (CUD)

Cannabis use disorder is a pattern of problematic cannabis use that causes significant impairment or distress and continues despite negative consequences.

Features include using more or for longer than intended, failed attempts to cut back, cravings, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, sleep difficulty and reduced appetite, and giving up important activities in favor of use. Risk is higher with daily use, early adolescent onset and high-THC products. Severity is graded from mild to severe by the number of criteria met.

Diagnosis follows standard psychiatric criteria assessed through clinical interview and screening tools, since there is no laboratory test for the disorder itself. Behavioral therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational enhancement and contingency management are the established treatments, and no medication is currently approved. Cannabidiol has been studied as a possible aid in reducing cannabis use, and the evidence remains limited and dependent on the specific trial conditions.