Cannabis Use Disorder Affects 1.1% of Privately Insured Epilepsy Patients, With Young Men at Highest Risk
Among 63,713 privately insured US adults with epilepsy, 1.1% had a diagnosed cannabis use disorder, with young adults aged 18-24 at more than five times the risk of those 65 and older.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
CUD prevalence was 1.1%. People with epilepsy and CUD had six times more tobacco use disorders and three times more mood disorders. Adults aged 18-24 had an adjusted risk ratio of 5.04 compared to those 65+.
Key Numbers
1.1% CUD prevalence. Age 18-24 vs 65+: aRR = 5.04 (95% CI: 3.83-6.65). CUD group had 6x tobacco use disorders and 3x mood disorders.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of 2022 IQVIA PharMetrics Plus claims data covering 63,713 unique adults with epilepsy.
Why This Research Matters
Cannabis is increasingly used by epilepsy patients, but CUD risk in this population has been understudied.
The Bigger Picture
CBD-based treatments for epilepsy have raised cannabis's profile in this community.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Claims data identifies only diagnosed CUD. Privately insured population only. Cannot distinguish recreational vs medicinal use.
Questions This Raises
- ?Is CUD prevalence higher among epilepsy patients who use medical cannabis?
- ?Does CUD affect seizure control?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 5x higher CUD risk in epilepsy patients aged 18-24 vs those 65+
- Evidence Grade:
- Large claims database analysis with over 63,000 patients; moderate.
- Study Age:
- 2025 publication using 2022 claims data
- Original Title:
- Prevalence of cannabis use disorders and associated factors among privately insured adults with epilepsy.
- Published In:
- Frontiers in neurology, 16, 1695511 (2025)
- Authors:
- Czerniak, Katarzyna, Kim, Youngran, Sepulveda, Refugio, Myneni, Sahiti, Addy, Robert, Shegog, Ross
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06282
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does using CBD for epilepsy increase the risk of cannabis use disorder?
This study did not distinguish between CBD and THC use. Cannabis use disorder is driven by THC, not CBD.
Why are young adults with epilepsy at higher risk for CUD?
Young adults generally have the highest rates of cannabis use. Combined with the stress of living with epilepsy, they may be more vulnerable.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06282APA
Czerniak, Katarzyna; Kim, Youngran; Sepulveda, Refugio; Myneni, Sahiti; Addy, Robert; Shegog, Ross. (2025). Prevalence of cannabis use disorders and associated factors among privately insured adults with epilepsy.. Frontiers in neurology, 16, 1695511. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2025.1695511
MLA
Czerniak, Katarzyna, et al. "Prevalence of cannabis use disorders and associated factors among privately insured adults with epilepsy.." Frontiers in neurology, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2025.1695511
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Prevalence of cannabis use disorders and associated factors ..." RTHC-06282. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/czerniak-2025-prevalence-of-cannabis-use
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.