Dr. Smita Das has often heard the myth that marijuana is not addictive. This misconception has spread as more and more states have legalized its consumption (40 allow medicinal use, and 24 allow recreational use for adults). But “cannabis is definitely something you can become addicted to,” said Das, a psychiatrist at Stanford University.
That addiction is known as cannabis use disorder and it is on the rise, affecting nearly three in 10 people who use marijuana, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Here’s how to tell if someone is addicted to marijuana, and what types of treatments are available.
How to identify the signs of this addiction
It is a warning sign if marijuana interferes with your daily life, your health or your personal relationships.
“The more a person consumes and the higher the potency, the greater the risk,” Das says.
In the 1960s, most smoked marijuana contained less than 5% THC, the ingredient that generates its psychoactive effect. Today, THC potency in cannabis flowers and concentrates in dispensaries can reach 40% or more, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Cannabis use disorder is diagnosed in the same way as any other substance use disorder: by analyzing whether the person meets the criteria established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the essential guide for mental health professionals.
Among them are the need for a greater amount of the drug to obtain the same effect, the presence of withdrawal symptoms, and the time spent trying to obtain or consume it. “When we break it down like that, it’s a lot more understandable,” Das says.
What are the different levels of addiction
Anyone who meets two of the criteria for cannabis use disorder in the last year, according to doctors, has a mild form of the disorder. If it turns six or more, it is a more serious form.
According to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 7% of people over 12 years of age suffered from a cannabis use disorder in 2024, most of them in a mild form. About one in 5 had a severe form.
People can be dependent or addicted. The dependence is physical; addiction involves behavioral changes.
Additionally, marijuana does not affect everyone the same way. The same amount can have a significant impact on one person’s daily life but not another’s, explains Das: “The question is how much it affects functioning and daily life.”
Where to get help for this disorder
Many marijuana users come to Das first for help coping with another situation, such as alcohol use disorder. Later, he says, they often come back and also mention their difficulties with cannabis.
She tells them that there are effective treatments for the disorder.
One is called motivational interviewing, a goal-oriented therapy that helps you find the motivation to change your behavior. Another is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a form of talk therapy that helps challenge negative thought patterns and reduce harmful behaviors.
12-step programs like Marijuana Anonymous can also be helpful, Das says. But regardless of whether someone decides to join a group or not, being able to lean on a community of people who don’t use marijuana is key.
Dave Bushnell, a retired creative director, created a group on the social network Reddit 14 years ago for those who, like him, had developed an addiction or dependence on cannabis and were looking for help. Their forum has 350,000 members and continues to grow.
Bushnell, 60, says mutual support is essential to recovery and that some people feel more comfortable chatting on-line. “This is about stoners taking care of stoners,” he says.
Doctors often urge those who need help to seek it, either from a professional or a support group. As with alcohol, “just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s safe,” Das says.
