Cannabis treatment: a range of approaches

Regular and long-term cannabis use is associated with increased risk of a number of physical and mental health problems including dependence. While many countries offer treatment for people with cannabis problems within generic substance use programmes, around half have developed some cannabis-specific treatment options. Services for cannabis users can be diverse, ranging from brief interventions delivered online, to longer-term therapeutic engagement in specialist centres. Although most treatment for this group takes place in community or outpatient settings, around one in five people entering specialist inpatient drug treatment services reported a primary cannabis-related problem.

Treatment for cannabis problems is based mainly on psychosocial approaches; family-based interventions are often used for adolescents and cognitive-behavioural interventions for adults. The available evidence supports the use of a combination of cognitive-behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing and contingency management approaches. In addition, there is some evidence to support the use of multidimensional family therapy for young cannabis users. Internet and digital-based interventions are increasingly employed to reach cannabis users, and studies to measure the effects of this type of interventions show promising preliminary results with regard to reducing levels of consumption and facilitating face to face treatment entry (when needed).

A number of studies are investigating the use of pharmacological interventions for cannabis-related problems. This includes looking at the potential for using THC, and synthetic THC, in combination with other psychoactive medicines, including antidepressants, anxiolytics and mood stabilisers. To date, results have been inconsistent, and no effective pharmacological approach to treat cannabis dependence has been identified.