Cannabis Use Disorder

Cannabis Use Disorder is the DSM-5-TR diagnosis (American Psychiatric Association, 2022) for a problematic pattern of cannabis use causing clinically significant impairment or distress, defined by ≥2 of 11 criteria within a 12-month period across domains of impaired control (larger/longer use, unsuccessful cutdown, time spent, craving), social impairment (role failure, interpersonal problems, abandoned activities), risky use (hazardous situations, use despite physical/psychological harm), and pharmacologic features (tolerance, withdrawal). Severity is graded mild (2–3 criteria), moderate (4–5), or severe (≥6). DSM-5-TR merged the former "abuse" and "dependence" categories, removed the legal-problems criterion, and added craving and a cannabis withdrawal syndrome. NASEM 2017 found substantial evidence that cannabis use increases the risk of developing CUD and that risk is greatest for frequent users and those initiating in adolescence. In U.S. epidemiological surveys (SAMHSA/NSDUH 2024), roughly 7% of past-year users and ~16–30% of daily users meet CUD criteria. → See also: Withdrawal, Dependence, Addiction.