43% of Australian Medical Cannabis Users Met Criteria for Cannabis Use Disorder
A survey of 1,796 Australian medical cannabis users found 43% met criteria for any cannabis use disorder, with frequency of use and mental health being stronger predictors than prescription status.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 1,796 medical cannabis users, 43% met any CUD criteria and 17% met moderate-severe CUD criteria. While illicit-source users had higher raw CUD rates (53% vs 41%), after controlling for confounders, use frequency, mental health, THC content, and proportion of recreational use were more important predictors than whether cannabis was prescribed.
Key Numbers
N=1,796. 43% met any CUD criteria (>=2/11 DSM-5). 17% met moderate-severe CUD (>=4/11). Illicit users: 53% any CUD, 25% moderate-severe. Prescribed users: 41% any CUD, 15% moderate-severe.
How They Did This
Online anonymous cross-sectional survey of Australians who used medical cannabis in 2022-2023, comparing prescribed versus illicitly-sourced users on DSM-5 CUD criteria using Bayesian regression.
Why This Research Matters
As medical cannabis prescribing expands globally, this study provides the most detailed look yet at CUD prevalence among medical users and what drives risk beyond simply having a prescription.
The Bigger Picture
The high CUD prevalence challenges the assumption that medical cannabis use is inherently lower-risk. A prescription alone does not protect against problematic use; it is how, how often, and why people use that matters most.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Online self-selected sample may over-represent heavier users. Anonymous survey cannot verify prescription status. Cross-sectional design limits causal claims. Australian regulatory context may not apply elsewhere.
Questions This Raises
- ?Should medical cannabis prescribers screen more aggressively for CUD?
- ?Does the Australian prescribing model adequately monitor for problematic use?
- ?Can prescribing guidelines reduce CUD rates?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 43% of medical cannabis users met criteria for cannabis use disorder
- Evidence Grade:
- Large survey with sophisticated Bayesian analysis, but online self-selected sample and cross-sectional design limit generalizability.
- Study Age:
- 2025 study from a 2022-2023 Australian survey.
- Original Title:
- Factors associated with cannabis use disorder among Australians using prescribed and illicitly-sourced medical cannabis.
- Published In:
- Drug and alcohol dependence reports, 16, 100362 (2025)
- Authors:
- Mills, Llewellyn(9), Arnold, Jonathon C(28), Mcgregor, Iain S(55), Lintzeris, Nicholas
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07141
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can you develop cannabis use disorder from medical cannabis?
Yes. This study of nearly 1,800 Australian medical cannabis users found 43% met criteria for cannabis use disorder. However, having a prescription was less important than how frequently someone used, their mental health, and whether they also used recreationally.
Is prescribed medical cannabis safer than illicit?
Prescribed users had somewhat lower CUD rates (41% vs 53%), but after accounting for other factors like use frequency and mental health, prescription status itself was not the main driver of risk.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07141APA
Mills, Llewellyn; Arnold, Jonathon C; Mcgregor, Iain S; Lintzeris, Nicholas. (2025). Factors associated with cannabis use disorder among Australians using prescribed and illicitly-sourced medical cannabis.. Drug and alcohol dependence reports, 16, 100362. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2025.100362
MLA
Mills, Llewellyn, et al. "Factors associated with cannabis use disorder among Australians using prescribed and illicitly-sourced medical cannabis.." Drug and alcohol dependence reports, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2025.100362
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Factors associated with cannabis use disorder among Australi..." RTHC-07141. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/mills-2025-factors-associated-with-cannabis
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.