Reply #28: Again, the diagnosis "cannabis dependence" is being removed [View All]

[SOS]

It will be replaced with "cannabis use disorder".

How many doctors will specify with physiological dependence?
Yes, the specification is an option in the DSM-V proposal, but cannabis does not produce the two criteria (tolerance and withdrawal) in
any significant way (see Henningfield Scale or Benowitz Scale).

I went through severe alcohol withdrawal in 1992. I was in a hospital for week with DTs, seizures, shakes and vomiting.
Now that's physiological dependence. (Haven't had a drink since).
Living in NYC for 50 years, I've seen more than one friend go through heroin withdrawal.
It's just as bad.

To use the word "dependence" so loosely is clearly what the DSM-V is addressing in it's revision.

Addiction has five markers: withdrawal, reinforcement, tolerance, dependence and intoxication.
Using those markers, both Hennigfield and Benowitz rate cannabis and caffeine as the least addictive.

My point here is that it belittles real physical addiction (ie alcohol and opiates) to use the same terminology with substances like coffee and cannabis.
Apparently the APA agrees.