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DC Reade's avatar

Courtesy of American Addiction Centers (check about their financing options!) here are the criteria for Marijuana Use Disorder:

"In order to be diagnosed with a cannabis use disorder, a person must manifest at least two of the 11 symptoms that the DSM-5 sets forth, and they must occur in the same 12-month period. The number of symptoms determines whether a person is diagnosed with a mild, moderate, or severe cannabis use disorder. For people concerned about their own marijuana use, or for those concerned about someone else’s use, these 11 criteria can be thought of signs to watch for. The 11 criteria, paraphrased, are as follows:

1 Loss of control: using more marijuana or using it for a longer period of time than intended

2 Social impairments: not engaging in important work, social, hobbies, or recreational activities because of marijuana use

3 Inability to stop: having the desire to quit or to reduce the amount of marijuana used but not being able to do it

4 Ignoring risks: ongoing use of marijuana despite dangers that arise around it

5 Cravings: Experiencing an urge to use marijuana when not using it

6 Frustration of existing issues: ongoing use even though marijuana use is worsening an existing physical or psychological problem

7 Troubles in main spheres of life: due to the marijuana use, not being able to perform to one’s familiar standard at home, work, or school

8 Tolerance building: over time, needing more marijuana in order to get the desired, familiar effect

9 Disregarding problems caused by use: despite the negative impact that the marijuana use is having on relationships, continuing to use the drug

10 Withdrawal: when not taking the familiar amount of marijuana or when stopping use completely, the emergence of withdrawal symptoms

11 Disproportionate focus: dedicating too much time and too many resources to marijuana use

https://americanaddictioncenters.org/marijuana-rehab/signs-of-abuse

(Isn't it possible that in the case of an illegal drug, a "yes" answer to criteria #2, #4, and #9 can be just as easily attributed to the pariah status officially conferred on the users by the most powerful institutions in society?)

Those are pretty much the same 11 criteria as the APA uses in the DSM-5 for any "substance use disorder", which is a phrase now used interchangeably with "addiction"- a term that used to mean something, before it got applied to any behavior that people might find so enjoyable that it becomes a habit with a downside.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5525418/table/T2/?report=objectonly#TFU2-1

From another site, VeryWellMind: https://www.verywellmind.com/dsm-5-criteria-for-substance-use-disorders-21926

" Severity of Substance Use Disorders

The DSM-5-TR allows clinicians to specify how severe or how much of a problem the substance use disorder is, depending on how many symptoms are identified.

Mild: Two or three symptoms indicate a mild substance use disorder.5

Moderate: Four or five symptoms indicate a moderate substance use disorder.

Severe: Six or more symptoms indicate a severe substance use disorder.

Clinicians can also add “in early remission,” “in sustained remission,” “on maintenance therapy” for certain substances, and “in a controlled environment.” These further describe the current state of the substance use disorder..."

"...The DSM-5-TR recognizes substance-related disorders resulting from the use of 10 separate classes of drugs:2

Alcohol

Caffeine

Cannabis

Hallucinogens

Inhalants

Opioids

Sedatives

Hypnotics, or anxiolytics

Stimulants (including amphetamine-type substances, cocaine, and other stimulants)

Tobacco

While some major groupings of psychoactive substances are specifically identified, the use of other or unknown substances can also form the basis of a substance-related or addictive disorder..."

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