28% of Inpatients Using Medical Cannabis Met Criteria for Cannabis Use Disorder, Rising to 51% Among Dual-Use Patients

Of 125 inpatients, 42% reported medical-only cannabis use and 58% reported dual medical and recreational use. CUD prevalence was 28% in the medical-only group and 51% in the dual-use group (p = 0.016). Psychiatric comorbidities were extremely high in both groups: anxiety 79-81%, depression 60-61%, PTSD 57-66%.

Cross-sectional study of 125 inpatients in substance use disorder treatment who reported medical cannabis use at admission. Assessed CUD via DSM-5 criteria, anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), and PTSD (PCL-5).

Medical cannabis is often framed as distinct from recreational use, but this study shows that a significant proportion of people citing medical reasons for use meet criteria for a cannabis use disorder, especially when recreational use is also involved. The extremely high psychiatric comorbidity rates highlight the complex clinical picture.

This finding complicates the medical vs. recreational cannabis dichotomy. It suggests that in addiction treatment settings, medical cannabis use should be clinically assessed for CUD, especially when recreational motives are also present. The high psychiatric burden in both groups points to cannabis use as part of a broader mental health picture.

Sample is from inpatient addiction treatment, so results cannot be generalized to all medical cannabis users. Small sample size. Cross-sectional design cannot determine causation. Self-reported cannabis use motives may not be reliable.