65% of Daily Cannabis Users Met Criteria for Cannabis Use Disorder
Among 4,134 daily cannabis consumers, the median daily intake was about 130 mg THC, and 65% met DSM-5 criteria for cannabis use disorder, with higher daily THC consumption predicting greater disorder severity.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Median daily consumption was approximately 130 mg THC, with wide variability (25% consumed 50 mg or less, 25% consumed 290 mg or more). 65% met criteria for CUD: 39% mild, 18% moderate, 8% severe. Greater daily mg THC predicted higher CUD criteria count and higher odds of all severity levels.
Key Numbers
4,134 daily consumers; median daily THC ~130 mg; 25th percentile 50 mg, 75th percentile 290 mg; mean 2.5 CUD criteria endorsed; 65% met CUD criteria (39% mild, 18% moderate, 8% severe); higher mg THC predicted more criteria and higher severity
How They Did This
4,134 US adult daily cannabis consumers completed comprehensive online surveys covering product types, amounts, potencies, and administration methods. Daily mg THC was calculated using a novel method adjusting for puff size and THC loss. DSM-5 CUD criteria were assessed.
Why This Research Matters
This is one of the largest studies to quantify actual THC consumption among daily users and link it to disorder severity. The finding that two-thirds meet CUD criteria challenges the narrative that daily cannabis use is typically unproblematic.
The Bigger Picture
As daily cannabis use becomes more normalized, understanding that the majority of daily users meet criteria for a clinical disorder reframes the conversation. The dose-response relationship suggests that reducing consumption, not just quitting, could meaningfully reduce disorder risk.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Online convenience sample may overrepresent heavier users, THC estimation relies on self-reported potencies and amounts, cross-sectional design cannot determine if high THC consumption causes CUD or if CUD drives higher consumption, DSM-5 criteria may over-identify disorder in legal-use populations
Questions This Raises
- ?Would reducing daily THC consumption below a threshold reduce CUD symptoms?
- ?Is the 130 mg median changing as higher-potency products become more available?
- ?How do these rates compare to daily alcohol users meeting alcohol use disorder criteria?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 65% of daily cannabis users met criteria for cannabis use disorder
- Evidence Grade:
- Large national sample with novel THC quantification method, but online convenience sample and cross-sectional design limit causal interpretation
- Study Age:
- Published 2025
- Original Title:
- Quantity of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol consumption and cannabis use disorder among daily cannabis consumers.
- Published In:
- Addiction (Abingdon, England), 120(4), 676-685 (2025)
- Authors:
- Borodovsky, Jacob T(6), Hasin, Deborah S(31), Wall, Melanie(6), Struble, Cara A, Habib, Mohammad I, Livne, Ofir, Liu, Jun, Chen, Lynn, Aharonovich, Efrat, Budney, Alan J
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06099
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How much THC do daily cannabis users consume?
In this study of 4,134 daily users, the median was about 130 mg THC per day, but there was massive variation: 25% consumed 50 mg or less while 25% consumed 290 mg or more.
What percentage of daily cannabis users have a use disorder?
65% met DSM-5 criteria for cannabis use disorder: 39% mild, 18% moderate, and 8% severe. The average participant endorsed 2.5 of 11 possible criteria.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- cannabis-dependence-physical-psychological-addiction-science
- cannabis-perception-vs-evidence-gap
- cannabis-use-disorder-test
- cross-addiction-quit-weed-start-drinking
- is-weed-addictive
- is-weed-addictive-science
- quitting-weed-and-alcohol
- rehab-for-weed-addiction-necessary
- signs-of-cannabis-use-disorder
- weed-vape-pen-addiction
- thc-drinks-vs-edibles-body-processes
- homemade-vs-store-bought-edibles-safety
- how-to-store-edibles-shelf-life-potency
- cannabis-dosing-guide-how-much-thc
- what-is-tincture-different-from-edible
- how-to-avoid-greening-out-dosing-prevention
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06099APA
Borodovsky, Jacob T; Hasin, Deborah S; Wall, Melanie; Struble, Cara A; Habib, Mohammad I; Livne, Ofir; Liu, Jun; Chen, Lynn; Aharonovich, Efrat; Budney, Alan J. (2025). Quantity of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol consumption and cannabis use disorder among daily cannabis consumers.. Addiction (Abingdon, England), 120(4), 676-685. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16700
MLA
Borodovsky, Jacob T, et al. "Quantity of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol consumption and cannabis use disorder among daily cannabis consumers.." Addiction (Abingdon, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16700
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Quantity of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol consumption and can..." RTHC-06099. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/borodovsky-2025-quantity-of-delta9tetrahydrocannabinol-consumption
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.