WHY IT MATTERS: If you are a veteran managing pain, anxiety, or sleep issues alongside a substance use disorder, this research supports having an honest conversation with your care team about whether supervised cannabis use could be a safer part of your recovery plan. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: New research examining veterans with substance use disorders found that many turned to cannabis to manage pain, anxiety, and sleep disturbances during their treatment for non-cannabis-related SUD. This aligns with what we see clinically, where patients often use cannabis as an adjunct or alternative to more harmful substances, particularly opioids and benzodiazepines.
So, What Does an Adult at Low Risk of Cannabis Dependence Look Like?
WHY IT MATTERS: If you are a current or prospective cannabis patient, understanding your personal risk factors for dependence helps you and your physician build a safer, more individualized treatment plan with appropriate monitoring. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: Understanding the risk profile for cannabis dependence is a critical clinical question that helps physicians identify which adult patients can use cannabis therapeutically with lower likelihood of developing problematic use patterns. Factors such as age of initiation, mental health history, frequency of use, genetic predisposition, and the presence of other substance use disorders all contribute to a patient’s overall risk profile.