Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder and Treatment Responses in the EU

Kurzzusammenfassung in leicht verständlicher Sprache

Cannabis use disorder affects many cannabis users and is a common reason for entering treatment in Europe. This study shows that only some European countries offer cannabis-specific treatment programmes, often with limited coverage. Online interventions have increased recently, but services for young or vulnerable people remain rare and unevenly developed.

Abstract

Hintergrund und Fragestellung
Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) affects a substantial proportion of lifetime cannabis users and represents the most common reason for first-time drug-related treatment admissions in Europe. Despite this burden, the availability of cannabis-specific treatment remains heterogeneous across European countries.

This study provides an updated overview of the availability and characteristics of cannabis-specific treatment programmes across Europe.

Methoden
A mixed-methods design was applied, combining a quantitative survey of National Focal Points of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) with a qualitative document analysis of the Drug Workbooks 2021 and Treatment Workbooks 2020–2021. Data from 30 countries (EU Member States, the United Kingdom, Norway and Turkey) were analyzed.

Ergebnisse
Sixteen countries reported the existence of cannabis-specific treatment programmes. Fifteen countries provided face-to-face interventions, generally with limited national coverage. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries have expanded online interventions, including brief and automated web-based programmes with potential to improve access, particularly in rural areas. While some specialised Cannabis Clinics have emerged, targeted interventions for vulnerable populations, such as adolescents or individuals with comorbid mental disorders, remain scarce. Overall, most programmes are not systematically evidence-based.

Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung
Cannabis-specific treatment provision in Europe has increased over the past decade; however, coverage remains limited and uneven. Further development of accessible, evidence-based and population-specific interventions is needed to address the growing treatment demand.

Interessenskonflikte sowie Erklärung zur Finanzierung
Ich bzw. die Koautorinnen und Koautoren erklären, dass während der letzten 3 Jahre keine wirtschaftlichen Vorteile oder persönlichen Verbindungen bestanden, die die Arbeit zum eingereichten Abstract beeinflusst haben könnten.