Short answer

Cannabis addiction signs center on loss of control, use despite harm, and physical dependence. Clinicians call it cannabis use disorder, or CUD. The DSM-5-TR lists 11 criteria. A diagnosis needs 2 or more of them inside 12 months.

The CDC puts the number at about 3 in 10 people who use cannabis. NIDA reports that about 1 in 10 adults who try cannabis develop CUD. The number rises to 1 in 6 for people who start in their teens.

The 11 DSM-5-TR criteria

Two or more of these signs in a 12-month period support a diagnosis.

  • Using more cannabis, or for longer, than planned
  • Wanting to cut down or stop and not managing to
  • Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from cannabis
  • Craving
  • Missing work, school, or home duties
  • Use that keeps causing problems with family or friends
  • Dropping hobbies, sports, or social events
  • Use in risky settings, such as driving
  • Use that continues despite health or mood problems it causes
  • Tolerance: needing more to feel the same effect
  • Withdrawal: symptoms when use stops

How doctors grade severity

The count of criteria sets the level:

  • 2 to 3 criteria: mild CUD
  • 4 to 5 criteria: moderate CUD
  • 6 or more criteria: severe CUD

Withdrawal signs

Cannabis withdrawal starts 24 to 72 hours after the last use. Signs include irritability, anger, sleep trouble, odd dreams, appetite loss, restlessness, craving, low mood, headaches, and sweating. Symptoms peak in the first week. Most ease within 1 to 2 weeks. Sleep problems can run longer. Withdrawal does not carry a risk of death, but it raises the chance of relapse.

Tolerance and dose creep

Tolerance shows up as a need for more THC to reach the same effect. Product strength matters. Concentrates hold far more THC than flower. Some products test at 60% to 90% THC. Higher doses can shift the pattern from a few times a week to use on most days. Use on most days is a common sign of CUD.

Signs that need urgent care

Some signs need fast help:

  • Repeated vomiting with belly pain, with relief from hot showers, known as cannabis hyperemesis syndrome
  • Hallucinations or severe agitation
  • Chest pain, fast heartbeat, or trouble breathing
  • Thoughts of suicide or self-harm

Call 911 or go to an emergency room.

Treatment

There is no FDA-approved drug for CUD. Care rests on behavioral therapy. Types with evidence include cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, contingency management, and family-based therapy for teens. The SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 is free and open 24/7.