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Prospective Assessment of Cannabis Withdrawal in Adolescents With Cannabis Dependence: A Pilot Study

NCJ Number
221467
Journal
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 47 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2008 Pages: 174-179
Author(s)
Robert Milin M.D.; Ian Manion Ph.D.; Glenda Dare Ph.D.; Selena Walker M.A.
Date Published
February 2008
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The objective of this study was to identify and assess withdrawal symptoms in adolescents with cannabis dependence.
Abstract
Results indicate that withdrawal symptoms in adolescents were most pronounced up to 2 weeks’ duration with some persisting for as long as 1 month. Symptoms of withdrawal included anxiousness, irritability, appetite changes, restlessness, sleeping difficulties, tension, thoughts and cravings for cannabis, and twitches and shakes. Most withdrawal symptoms were endorsed with a high degree of frequency. The results support the presence of clinically significant cannabis withdrawal symptoms in adolescents with cannabis dependence seeking substance abuse treatment, as well as the vulnerability of adolescents to cannabis dependence with physiological symptoms. It is important to ascertain whether cannabis withdrawal is present in adolescents as a marker of dependence. This study conducted an assessment of withdrawal symptoms and identification of functioning in 21 adolescents voluntarily entering residential and day/outpatient substance abuse programs with cannabis dependence. References