Cannabis is reaching new heights in America. More states have legal weed than ever. That means people can find regulated products, which can be good or bad. Weed products may help medical patients feel relief from symptoms and provide people with a plant-based way to unwind. For others, it might turn into a habit that slowly morphs into a problem that has been categorized as cannabis use disorder (CUD).
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Research estimated that about 16 million Americans met the criteria for CUD in 2021, but there is much left to learn. Diagnostic criteria, how to treat it, and more about the disorder are still not airtight. However, the prevalence of the issue is very real.
Research shows that some combat Veterans are struggling with CUD. Other studies indicate a connection between CUD and cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). This cyclical vomiting syndrome has become more prominent in recent years.
A recently published study examined 16 years of data to understand how changes in potency, prevalence, and recreational policies have affected CUD. It showed that few people who meet the criteria for the disorder seek treatment, but few know why. The study hoped to figure that out.
Who is impacted by CUD?
The study examined signs of impending CUD and reasons for not receiving treatment. It used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) datasets on individuals from 2003, 2011, and 2019. There were valid limitations, including that the survey draws from new people each year and not the same respondents. It is also unclear whether the results are the cause or the consequence of CUD.
Limitations aside, researchers pinpointed respondents who met DSM-5 CUD criteria. Researchers then applied a model to discover whether people will receive treatment. Most respondents were male (60-69 percent), older, white, and lower income.
People who did not graduate from high school had a lower chance of seeking treatment for CUD over the 16 years. Those with a college degree showed a higher treatment probability over that time. Co-occurring substance abuse disorders made a respondent more apt to get help. Those who did not also have a cocaine or heroin addiction were among the group who did not seek treatment.
“Across years, those who received CUD treatment also reported receiving past-year mental health treatment in higher percentages (43-50 percent) compared to those who did not receive CUD treatment (20–26 percent),” the study read.
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This research shows people who meet the criteria are more likely to seek treatment for the disorder if they have co-occurring mental health disorders or addictions. Treating CUD looked like self-help groups and outpatient rehabilitation centers for the most part.
Why CUD patients do not seek treatment
Reported reasons for not getting help over the entire 16 years included not being ready to stop (28 to 37 percent) or being unable to afford it (19-32 percent). In 2019, a prominent reason for not seeking treatment was that they did not know where to go (38 percent, up from eight percent in 2003), thought it would hurt their job (28 percent, up from six percent in 2003), or had a negative opinion about treatment (23 percent, up from six percent in 2003).
Study paper authors hope that future inquiries will take a finer-grained approach to understanding what inspires people to seek help for CUD or avoid it. There is also space to explore how self-help groups approach CUD treatment since those are the most utilized spaces. All of this comes together to display the real barriers those who want help face and target ways to improve treatment utilization.
Having CUD might cause serious health issues or impact someone’s life. It should be acceptable to seek treatment, and people should know where to get it. Perhaps, with more research, that will happen.
