We found a very high correlation (r=0.92) between cannabis withdrawal and DSM-IV abuse/dependence; approximately 96% of participants that met criteria for cannabis withdrawal also exhibited DSM-IV abuse/dependence. This is in line with extensive research findings supporting a single cannabis use disorder (CUD) latent factor which includes symptoms of withdrawal, indicating withdrawal to be part of the CUD construct (Lachenbucher et al. 2004; Lynskey & Agrawal, 2007; Compton et al. 2008; Gillespie et al. 2011). Our finding that a substantial majority of those endorsing cannabis withdrawal already met criteria for cannabis abuse/dependence supports the observation that withdrawal is common among individuals with a cannabis use disorder. Therefore it is unlikely that its addition to the repertoire of diagnostic criteria will substantially elevate rates of CUD diagnoses.
