Withdrawal
A set of symptoms that occur when a physically dependent person reduces or stops drug use. Cannabis withdrawal is recognized in DSM-5 and affects approximately 50% of daily users who stop.
In Depth
Cannabis withdrawal syndrome includes irritability, anxiety, sleep disturbance, decreased appetite, restlessness, and depressed mood. Symptoms typically begin 1–3 days after cessation, peak at 2–6 days, and resolve within 2 weeks. Physical symptoms (sweating, chills, headache) occur in some users. Withdrawal severity correlates with frequency and duration of use and product potency. No FDA-approved pharmacotherapy exists for cannabis withdrawal, though CBD and gabapentin have shown some benefit in small studies.
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More in Clinical
Dravet Syndrome
A severe, treatment-resistant form of childhood epilepsy characterized by prolonged seizures, often triggered by fever, beginning in the first year of life.
Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS)
A severe form of childhood-onset epilepsy characterized by multiple seizure types, slow spike-wave EEG pattern, and cognitive impairment.
Epidiolex
The FDA-approved pharmaceutical formulation of purified cannabidiol (CBD), manufactured by GW Pharmaceuticals (now Jazz Pharmaceuticals). Approved in 2018 for Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Dronabinol (Marinol)
A synthetic form of THC (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol) approved by the FDA for chemotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting and AIDS-related anorexia.
Nabilone (Cesamet)
A synthetic cannabinoid analogue of THC approved for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. More potent than dronabinol.