Cannabis Use Disorder Affects an Estimated 30 Percent of Users, CDC Says

The same person began selling personal belongings to fund the habit and chose cannabis over groceries at times. A spouse noted increased clumsiness, forgetfulness, emotional distance and excessive sleep. Paranoia, disorientation and derealization returned in later stages of heavy use.

The individual suspected the habit was reducing ambition, harming memory and limiting the ability to create art or improve life circumstances.

A 33-year-old father said cannabis initially helped him stop using alcohol and other drugs but became impossible to quit after his first child was born. He reported destroying smoking devices and cutting off dealers without success, describing feelings of emptiness without the substance that always led to relapse.

A 22-year-old who recently stopped described insomnia, night sweats, loss of appetite and irritability that eased after several days, though feelings of emptiness and emotional flatness persisted for weeks or months. One person who quit after years of near-constant use reported vivid dreams turning into night terrors, inability to eat or sleep, and an initial sense that life would never feel enjoyable again.

After passing through an early period of heightened optimism known as the pink cloud, the individual noted improved attention span, renewed ability to create art, reduced depression and anxiety, and replacement of former habits with exercise, classes and outdoor activities.

A woman who quit in her mid-60s after more than 40 years of regular use advised addressing underlying reasons for consumption. She recently began pursuing a childhood interest in learning drums that had been discouraged in her youth.

Frequent use is associated with increased emergency room visits for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which causes severe vomiting and abdominal pain, as well as impacts on memory and executive function. Research has identified clear brain changes in heavy users exposed to high THC levels over time.

Growing links have also been observed between high-THC products and psychosis, especially among younger users. A drug policy researcher stated there is a persistent misunderstanding that cannabis is not addictive because many users never develop problems.

The researcher added that cannabis is a dependence-producing substance and that a significant share of frequent users report interference with their lives.

A review of cannabinoids for mental health treatment found no evidence of efficacy for anxiety, depression or PTSD, the three most common conditions for which it is prescribed. The postdoctoral fellow who co-authored the March review reported being accused of pharmaceutical industry ties despite no such funding, noting instead that cannabis has become a major commercial enterprise.

An addiction psychiatrist stated that cannabis can affect brain development into the early 30s. Medical experts emphasized that immediate effects may temporarily relieve psychological distress but do not address underlying conditions over the long term.

The author, now several months cannabis-free, reported that confronting obligations previously avoided while using has been difficult but ultimately beneficial. Both the author and others who quit described missing the substance at times while working to replace it with sustainable activities and routines.