Nearly Two-Thirds of Adolescent Cannabis Treatment Seekers Reported Withdrawal Symptoms | Research

The takeaway

Among adolescents seeking treatment for cannabis as their primary substance, nearly two-thirds reported experiencing four or more withdrawal symptoms, though rates were lower than previously documented in adult treatment seekers.

Read this if you are a young person trying to quit cannabis and want to know if withdrawal symptoms are normal.

Nearly two-thirds of adolescent treatment seekers reported 4+ cannabis withdrawal symptoms

What the researchers found

Adolescents presenting for outpatient substance abuse treatment with cannabis as their primary drug completed questionnaires about withdrawal symptoms during past periods of abstinence.

Nearly two-thirds reported experiencing four or more withdrawal symptoms. Over one-third reported four or more symptoms at moderate or greater severity. The severity of withdrawal was positively correlated with current emotional and behavioral symptoms and self-reported problems with cannabis use.

The prevalence and magnitude of withdrawal symptoms were lower than those observed in a similar study of adult treatment seekers (Budney et al., 1999), suggesting that adolescents may experience less severe withdrawal, potentially due to shorter duration or lower levels of use.

Why it matters

This was among the few published studies examining cannabis withdrawal specifically in adolescents. The finding that a majority of treatment-seeking teens experienced withdrawal symptoms supports the reality of cannabis dependence in this age group, with implications for treatment planning and expectations during quitting.

The numbers in context

Nearly two-thirds reported 4+ withdrawal symptoms. Over one-third reported 4+ symptoms at moderate or greater severity. Withdrawal severity correlated with emotional/behavioral symptoms and self-reported cannabis problems. Rates lower than in adult treatment seekers.

How the study worked

Cross-sectional questionnaire study of adolescents presenting for outpatient substance abuse treatment with cannabis as their primary substance. Participants reported presence and severity of withdrawal symptoms during past periods of abstinence. Correlations were examined between withdrawal severity and current emotional, behavioral, and substance use problems.

What this study cannot tell us

Retrospective self-report of withdrawal symptoms is subject to recall bias. The sample was limited to treatment seekers, who may not represent all adolescent cannabis users. No biological confirmation of abstinence periods. The absence of a comparison group of non-treatment-seeking adolescent users limits generalizability.

How to read the evidence

Cross-sectional study of treatment-seeking adolescents. Provides useful prevalence data but relies on retrospective self-report without biological confirmation.

When this study was published

Published in 2005. Cannabis withdrawal was later added to the DSM-5 in 2013, partly based on studies like this one.

The bigger picture

Cannabis withdrawal was not included in the DSM until 2013. Studies like this one contributed to the evidence base that eventually led to its recognition as a formal diagnosis. The finding that adolescents experience withdrawal, even if less severely than adults, informed clinical approaches to adolescent cannabis treatment.

Questions still open

Do adolescents who experience withdrawal find it harder to quit than those who do not? Does the severity of adolescent withdrawal predict adult cannabis dependence?

Common questions

Do teenagers experience cannabis withdrawal?

Yes. In this study, nearly two-thirds of adolescents seeking treatment for cannabis use reported four or more withdrawal symptoms during past quit attempts. The symptoms were real but generally less severe than those reported by adults.

Is adolescent cannabis withdrawal different from adult withdrawal?

The prevalence and severity of withdrawal symptoms were lower in this adolescent sample compared to a similar study in adults, possibly because adolescents had shorter histories of use. However, a substantial proportion still experienced meaningful withdrawal symptoms.

Read the original research

Cannabis withdrawal in adolescent treatment seekers.

Drug and alcohol dependence, 78(2), 205-10

View on PubMed ↗

Citation

Vandrey, Ryan; Budney, Alan J; Kamon, Jody L; Stanger, Catherine. (2005). Cannabis withdrawal in adolescent treatment seekers.. Drug and alcohol dependence, 78(2), 205-10.