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Cannabis for addiction

Studies whose primary subject is both Cannabis and Addiction, with an evidence synthesis read across the most-cited and most recent of them.

State of the evidence

Synthesized

Synthesized from 17 studies in the library · AI-generated, grounded in the abstracts below

Found by searching the library for Cannabis, marijuana, THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, Addiction, substance use disorder, then ranked by relevance.

The research does not support cannabis as a treatment for addiction. A large meta-analysis found cannabinoids worsened cannabis use disorder severity in the one relevant trial and had no effect on craving or withdrawal, with very limited evidence for alcohol, opioid, or tobacco use disorders; observational data suggesting benefit were at high risk of bias. Separately, cannabis and high-potency THC are consistently linked to increased risk of cannabis use disorder and psychosis, and reviews of recovery approaches warn that cannabis substitution carries risk of developing cannabis use disorder. Evidence is limited by few controlled trials, small samples, and very low certainty.

Evidence by study

Direction is which way each study's own result points, not our rating of the study. All 25 matching studies were reviewed; the 17 that directly address the question are shown here.

What the directions mean
Supports:
the study found the intervention worked, or its hypothesis held.
Opposes:
it found the opposite, no benefit or a harm.
No effect:
no significant difference either way.
Mixed:
effects in both directions within the same study.
Unclear:
the abstract does not report a direction.
Study Design Sample size Direction Finding
Cannabis and cannabinoids for the treatment of mental and substance use disorders and symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental and observational studies. 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis Opposes Cannabinoids worsened cannabis use disorder severity in one RCT (SMD 2.35) with no effect on craving or withdrawal, evidence for alcohol, opioid and tobacco use disorders was very limited, and THC increased withdrawals due to adverse events (OR 2.78).
The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies 2018 review Opposes Heavy repeated cannabis use, particularly during adolescence, is associated with adverse effects on neurocognitive systems that increase the risk of addiction and psychosis.
Mental health consequences of contemporary cannabis use in Europe: potency, patterns of use, and health system context 2026 narrative review Opposes Argues that high-potency cannabis is consistently linked to elevated risks of psychosis, anxiety, panic, derealisation and cannabis use disorder, and that cannabis-related psychiatric complications are underestimated in Central and Eastern Europe.
Redefining Recovery: The Expanding Cannabis Landscape and Its Implications for the California Sober Approach in Addiction 2026 review Mixed Argues that the California Sober approach allowing cannabis offers flexibility but carries risks of cannabis use disorder and substituting one addiction for another, requiring personalized treatment strategies.
Impact of cannabis decriminalization on selected psychotic disorders: a retrospective analysis at the Center for Mental Health and Prevention of Addiction (2013–2023) in Tbilisi 2026 retrospective observational review 12680 Opposes After cannabis decriminalization, substance-related psychotic cases rose fourfold and the proportion of psychosis cases involving substance use rose from 9.6% to 81.4%, with cannabis implicated in over 70% of post-2018 substance cases.
Subcortical Local Functional Hyperconnectivity in Cannabis Dependence 2017 case-control study 441 Opposes Subjects with cannabis abuse showed increased local functional connectivity density in ventral striatum, midbrain, brainstem and lateral thalamus relative to controls, most pronounced with earliest initiation.
Neural Correlates of the Severity of Cocaine, Heroin, Alcohol, MDMA and Cannabis Use in Polysubstance Abusers: A Resting-PET Brain Metabolism Study 2012 cross-sectional 49 Opposes Severity of cannabis use negatively correlated with brain metabolism in the dorsolateral prefrontal and temporal cortex in polysubstance users.
Chronic adolescent exposure to cannabis in mice leads to sex-biased changes in gene expression networks across brain regions 2022 experimental animal study Opposes Adolescent THC exposure induced sex- and brain-region-specific transcriptomic changes, with four key driver genes in the nucleus accumbens linked to cannabis use disorder vulnerability.
Dopamine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and glutamate balance in the nucleus accumbens shell: Differential effects of cannabinoid 1 receptor agonists Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, AM11101, and AM8936. 2026 experimental animal study Mixed CB1 agonists including THC differentially altered dopamine, GABA and glutamate in the nucleus accumbens shell, and THC increased conditioned place preference, indicating reward-related effects.
Tolerance, physical dependence, and Δ9-THC-like interoceptive effects of cannabinol in mice. 2026 preclinical animal study Opposes Repeated cannabinol produced tolerance and physical dependence with rimonabant-precipitated withdrawal, and cannabinol fully substituted for THC in discrimination tests.
Repeated Tetrahydrocannabinol Injections Induce Tolerance but Do Not Disrupt Ongoing Behaviour Upon Withdrawal in Male and Female Rats With Inflammatory Pain. 2026 experimental animal study No effect Repeated THC injections produced tolerance but no evidence of spontaneous withdrawal in rats with inflammatory pain.
Psychedelic symptoms of cannabis and cocaine use as a function of trait impulsivity 2015 three-way crossover study 122 No effect A broad association between trait impulsivity and psychedelic subjective drug experience appeared absent, with only a few subjective items showing a drug by impulsivity interaction.
Substance-Induced Psychoses: An Updated Literature Review 2021 narrative review Opposes Reports that abuse of methamphetamine, cannabis and cocaine plays a large role in increasing episodes resembling psychotic disorder, with psychosis propensity a function of severity of use and addiction.
New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) – a Challenge for the Addiction Treatment Services 2017 review Opposes Synthetic cannabinoid users may present with epileptic seizures, loss of consciousness and persisting psychopathological disorders, unlike cannabis users.
Partydrogen im Überblick 2026 review Unclear Describes party drugs including cannabis as associated with acute and long-term risks varying by substance, use patterns and context.
New psychoactive substances of natural origin: A brief review 2017 review Unclear Reviews natural psychoactive substances and notes cannabis as a long-controlled traditional drug while highlighting abuse liability of newer natural substances.
MDMA Use by Paris Medical Students: Prevalence and Characteristics 2020 cross-sectional study 592 Unclear MDMA use was associated with male sex, tobacco and cannabis use, other illicit drug use and frequent alcohol consumption.

Points of agreement

  • Cannabis and high-potency THC are consistently associated with increased risk of cannabis use disorder and psychosis.
  • Controlled trial evidence does not show cannabinoids reduce cannabis use disorder severity or craving.
  • Observational reports of benefit from cannabis or cannabinoids are at high risk of bias and do not establish efficacy.
  • Reviews of recovery approaches warn that cannabis substitution risks developing cannabis use disorder.

Conflicts

  • Observational studies suggest improvements in substance use with cannabinoids, while randomized evidence shows worsening or no effect.
  • Some reviews frame cannabis as a potential recovery aid (California Sober), while others emphasize addiction and psychosis risk.

Gaps

  • Very few controlled trials of cannabis or cannabinoids for alcohol, opioid or tobacco use disorders.
  • No long-term durability data on cannabis as an addiction treatment.
  • Unclear dosing, product potency and blinding across studies.
  • Limited evidence in clinical populations versus observational surveys.
  • Mechanisms linking cannabis to cannabis use disorder vulnerability remain unclear.
Browse these studies in the library

Common questions

What does the research agree on about cannabis for addiction?
  • Cannabis and high-potency THC are consistently associated with increased risk of cannabis use disorder and psychosis.
  • Controlled trial evidence does not show cannabinoids reduce cannabis use disorder severity or craving.
  • Observational reports of benefit from cannabis or cannabinoids are at high risk of bias and do not establish efficacy.
  • Reviews of recovery approaches warn that cannabis substitution risks developing cannabis use disorder.
Where do studies on cannabis for addiction conflict?
  • Observational studies suggest improvements in substance use with cannabinoids, while randomized evidence shows worsening or no effect.
  • Some reviews frame cannabis as a potential recovery aid (California Sober), while others emphasize addiction and psychosis risk.
What is still unknown about cannabis for addiction?
  • Very few controlled trials of cannabis or cannabinoids for alcohol, opioid or tobacco use disorders.
  • No long-term durability data on cannabis as an addiction treatment.
  • Unclear dosing, product potency and blinding across studies.
  • Limited evidence in clinical populations versus observational surveys.
  • Mechanisms linking cannabis to cannabis use disorder vulnerability remain unclear.
How we analyze this

This synthesis reads the 15 most-cited and 10 most recent studies whose primary subject is Cannabis for addiction, up to 25 in all. The most-cited set anchors the established evidence, and the recent set surfaces work that is too new to have gathered citations yet.

A study qualifies only when Cannabis for addiction or a known alias appears in its title or keywords, so broad reviews that mention it only in passing are left out. Each study is read from its abstract, strongest evidence first, and the summary reports the direction of the results along with any conflicts and gaps.

The full method, including what a person does and does not review, is on the methods page.

Ask your own question in the Research Synthesis Tool

88 articles · 12 from the last two years · 17,749 participants across 36 studies reporting sample size

Common study designs

review 18 narrative review 4 experimental study 4 observational study 4 observational cohort 5

Research volume by year

Compare topics →

86 studies whose primary subject is cannabis for addiction since 2004

Studies about cannabis for addiction per year, 2004 to 2026, peaking at 13 in 2023 Bar chart: one bar per year, taller where more studies were published that year. 0 10 20 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
2026 is partial
Show the numbers
Studies about cannabis for addiction per year, 2004 to 2026, peaking at 13 in 2023
Year Studies
2004 1
2005 2
2006 0
2007 1
2008 3
2009 1
2010 3
2011 3
2012 1
2013 4
2014 1
2015 2
2016 4
2017 4
2018 3
2019 1
2020 7
2021 6
2022 7
2023 13
2024 7
2025 4
2026 8

Research

Synthesize the evidence →

Tolerance, physical dependence, and Δ9-THC-like interoceptive effects of cannabinol in mice.

Drug and Alcohol Dependence September 1, 2026 S. Vanegas, J. Marusich, J. Maturano et al.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cannabinoids, including Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and synthetic CB1 agonists elicit acute psychotropic effects that undergo tolerance with repeated exposure. In contrast, the effects of prolonged cannabinol (CBN) use are unknown. This study examined (1) the effects of repeated CBN administration on classic cannabimimetic outcomes, (2) whether these effects undergo...

DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2026.113341 (opens in new tab)

Cannabis and cannabinoids for the treatment of mental and substance use disorders and symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental and observational studies.

Psychiatry Research August 1, 2026 C. Bharat, Xin-Tong Huang, G. Campbell et al.

BACKGROUND Interest in cannabinoids for mental and substance use disorders is increasing. We examined experimental and observational evidence for treating these disorders and their symptoms. METHODS Systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42023467536). We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO to May 2025 for studies of cannabinoids in adults (≥18 years) with ADHD, anxiety,...

DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2026.117380 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab)

Mental health consequences of contemporary cannabis use in Europe: potency, patterns of use, and health system context

Frontiers in Psychiatry June 10, 2026 Justyna Śniadach, Sylwia Szymkowiak, Przemysław Osip et al.

Background: Cannabis use has increased across Europe over the last decade, accompanied by growing availability of high-potency THC products and rising psychiatric presentations. Despite these trends, European countries differ substantially in monitoring systems, clinical preparedness and public health responses. These disparities are especially visible between Western Europe, which has more...

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1778831 (opens in new tab) Cannabis Addiction Context archaeology Public health +6

Impact of cannabis decriminalization on selected psychotic disorders: a retrospective analysis at the Center for Mental Health and Prevention of Addiction (2013–2023) in Tbilisi

European Psychiatry June 1, 2026 L. Jishkariani, D. Zurabashvili, K. Gigolashvili et al.

Introduction Cannabis decriminalization raises concerns about its psychiatric impact, particularly on psychosis risk. As cannabis became decriminalized in Georgia in 2018, questions emerged regarding changes in substance-related and acute psychotic disorders. Examining these trends is essential to guide prevention, treatment, and policy in a shifting drug landscape. Objectives This study aims...

DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2026.10495 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab)

Dopamine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and glutamate balance in the nucleus accumbens shell: Differential effects of cannabinoid 1 receptor agonists Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, AM11101, and AM8936.

Neuropharmacology June 1, 2026 Evan C Smith, Christos Iliopoulos-Tsoutsouvas, Markos-Orestis Georgiadis et al.

Despite being the most prevalently abused illicit drug class, the neurochemical effects of cannabinoids (CBs) in key reward-related brain regions are not fully understood. Here, we used in vivo microdialysis combined with liquid chromatograph mass spectrometry to delineate how single, intraperitoneal injections of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), and synthetic partial (AM11101) and full...

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2026.110891 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Addiction Accumbens Cannabinoid Conditioned place preference +2

Redefining Recovery: The Expanding Cannabis Landscape and Its Implications for the California Sober Approach in Addiction

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction May 5, 2026 Cerina Dubois, Amrit Baral, Riana Durrett et al.

An emerging approach called California Sober (CS) has gained attention for promoting abstinence of all intoxicating substances except cannabis and potentially, psychedelics. Cannabis legalization and the expansion of cannabis products have introduced new complexities in addiction recovery, challenging traditional abstinence-based frameworks such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), which define...

DOI: 10.1007/s11469-026-01660-0 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Law

Repeated Tetrahydrocannabinol Injections Induce Tolerance but Do Not Disrupt Ongoing Behaviour Upon Withdrawal in Male and Female Rats With Inflammatory Pain.

European Journal of Pain May 1, 2026 Michael M Morgan, Christa M. Hickey

Many people use cannabis to self-medicate for pain. Little is known about the impact of pain on tolerance and spontaneous withdrawal to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinal (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. Our previous research with the opioid morphine suggests persistent pain will increase the magnitude and duration of THC withdrawal. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were...

DOI: 10.1002/ejp.70279 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Cannabis Dependence Sex differences Wheel running

Partydrogen im Überblick

Psychopharmakotherapie 2026 Antonia Bendau, Felix Betzler, Twyla Michnevich et al. 1 citation

Party drugs encompass a broad spectrum of legal and illegal psychoactive substances used in party settings such as clubs, festivals, raves or private gatherings to modulate mood, perception, social interaction and bodily states. Most commonly, alcohol and cannabis are consumed, followed by amphetamine, MDMA (“ecstasy”), cocaine and ketamine. Synthetic cathinones, GHB/GBL (“liquid ecstasy”),...

DOI: 10.52778/ppt20260001 (opens in new tab) Serotonergic MDMA Addiction Cannabis +16

High hopes? Precision psychedelic addiction medicine

Spiral (Imperial College London) December 30, 2025 Rayyan Zafar

Despite decades of neuroscience research and significant investment in addiction neuroimaging, clinical outcomes for individuals with substance use and behavioural addictions remain poor. Only 1.8% of people with substance use disorders receive effective treatment, highlighting a major disconnect between mechanistic understanding and clinical utility. This paper calls for a reorientation of...

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1681795/abstract (opens in new tab) Psilocybin Cannabis Addiction medicine Opioid addiction +11

Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement Reduces Illicit Substance Craving Among People with Alcohol Use Disorder and Polysubstance Use.

Substance Use & Misuse September 2, 2025 Laura Gurrieri, Margaret C. Wardle, Eric L Garland

Background: Polysubstance use is common in alcohol use disorder (AUD) and associated with poor treatment outcomes. Cannabis and cocaine often co-used with alcohol, have no approved medication treatments and respond poorly to common behavioral treatments. Thus, treatments that can reduce use of these substances alongside AUD are critically needed. Objectives: We tested whether...

DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2025.2525379 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Mindfulness Cannabis Alcohol use disorder Humans +11

Clinical trials

All cannabis for addiction trials →